Page 264 - My FlipBook

236 THE MICRO-ORGANISMS OF THE HUMAN MOUTH.

eio-n nioflieamcnt in case of septic alveolitis." In septic wounds
i'ollowiuii- extractions, syringing with sublimate 1-1000 twice a
day was continued for eight days with most beneficial results,
etc.
In the last few years a large number of different materials
have been recommended as disinfectants for the mouth. The
most of them, however, have been as yet too little tested to
enable us to give an estimation of their value.
Von Kaczorowski ^^ recommends iodine-chloride of sodium
solution (!N"atrium chloratum 1 per cent., Tr. lodi 0.5 per cent.),
one-half to a whole teaspoonfiil every quarter to half hour.
Truman praises hydronaphthol, which he finds as etficient as
it is harmless.
Black ^^^ recommends a mixture of carbolic acid 1, oil of winter-
green 2, oil of sassafras 3. Others recommend iodol, sozoiodol,
betanaphthol, sanitas oil, etc.
Witzel ^^ recommends his so-called 20 per cent, solution of sub-
limate, for root-treatments, which, however, is said to discolor the
teeth. Personally I use a 1 to 5 per cent, solution for the same
purpose, and a | to 1 per cent, solution for syringing abscesses or
suppurating wounds after extraction, and for the latter purposes
in particular find it decidedly superior to either 2 per cent, carbolic
acid or 5 per cent, peroxide of hydrogen.
Busch ^^ has obtained most beneficial results from the use of
peroxide of hydrogen, particularly in putrid and septic condi-
tions of the gums, and is of the opinion that no other antiseptic
at present in use is to be compared with this. He adds a suffi-
cient quantity of the so-called 10 per cent, solution to water to
produce about a 2 to 3 per cent, solution for rinsing the mouth.
Harlan has also enriched the dental materia medica with a
considerable number of new antiseptics.
I lay no particular value on tooth-powder as a means of clean-
ing the teeth. It is true that the external surfaces, particularly
of the front teeth, may be kept whiter by the use of tooth-pow-
der, but the centers of decay are more liable to become stopped
up than to be cleansed by tooth-powder, particularly when they
contain insoluble constituents.
Somewhat more recommendable I find the tooth-soaps, in so