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146 Scurvy in the Gums.
When we reflect how many beautiful and sound teeth are
lost by this disease, and how much local and constitutional

We gave it as our opinion, that her ill health was principally caused
by the state of her mouth, and explained to her the reasons on which
this opinion was founded. She readily consented to have any operations
performed which might be deemed proper.
To be brief: the tartar and foreign matter were first removed from her
teeth in the most perfect manner : this was as much as she could bear to
have done the first day ; on the second day the dead teeth and roots were
removed from the upper jaw; and on the third from the lower, making
in all, twelve. She was furnished with the necessary washes, brushes
and powders, with proper directions. Within three weeks from this time,
the disease in the gums and sockets was completely cured, and her
general health improving. The carious teeth were now plugged,— the
nerves of three of which had been destroyed by means of arsenic. Two
years afterwards, we saw this lady enjoying good health and her mouth
perfectly well.
Reflections.—Is it probable that diseased teeth, gums and sockets do
ever seriously affect the general system 1
The sympathy existing between the teeth and their relative parts, and
between these and the general system is very great, in consequence of
which, (seethe reasons pages 17, the intimate connexion existing be-
tween the dental and facial nerves, and those of the general system, by
means of the great sympathetic nerve,) when disease is going on in the
mouth, it becomes sympathetically affected in a greater degree, than it
does from disease of equal extent in any other part, where vital organs
are not engaged. Every one is familiar with the violent constitutional
the
derangement which so frequently results from tooth ache, ague in
face or gum-biles ; we have seen many cases where persons have been
confined a week or ten days by these affections.
Again, the imperfect manner in which the food is masticated whw)
the mouth is very much diseased, and the morbid matter which is mixed
with the food and carried to the stomach, cannot but have a tendency to
derange the functions of digestion. For further opinions on this subject,
see "effects of diseased teeth, gums and sockets, upon the general system."
The two following cases, will show the usual causes of scurvy in the
gum, and its effects, the necessity of thorough operation for its cure, and
the impropriety of patients dictating the plan of treatment.
September, 1833. Mr. V , a gentleman of a robust and healthy
constitution, laboring under this disease consulted vis, stating that he had
long been suffering under an affection of the gums, had neg'ected
so long to apply for assistance, that he feared little could be done for
him.
On examining his mouth, we found the disease had made sad ravages.
The teeth were much incrusted with tartar, especially the incisores of
the lower, and the violates of the upper jaw. The gum and alveoli of
the incisores and bicuspicles of the upper jaw were considerably diseased,
and so much absorbed that these teeth appeared much longer than
natural. The gum and sockets had fallen away eo much from the four
anterior molar teeth of the same jaw, and these teeth had eo much pro-