Page 18 - My FlipBook

2 THE TREATMENT OF TEETH
existed, whether or no it keeps them awake at night,
and whether it is very severe, the questioning of
patients is of very little value, and the diagnosis
must always principally depend on the eyes and
instruments of the operator. If the tooth to which
the patient refers the pain is carious, the decay
should be removed sufficiently to admit a temporary
filling. If the pulp is not exposed, and external
pressure on the tooth in all directions gives no
pain, if there is no tenderness on applying pressure
to the gum over the roots of the tooth, and if the
pain has not been severe, it may be presumed the
cause is pulp irritation, and that the case will be
readily amenable to treatment. Any of the usual
remedies, such as carbolic acid, oil of cloves, or
creosote, will generally give prompt relief. A very
useful preparation is a paste made of carbolic acid,
oil of cloves, and tannin, to which, in all cases of
severe pain caused by an inflamed pulp, a little
cocaine may be added with advantage. Whenever
this paste is allowed to remain in a tooth for from
twenty-four hours to a few days, it will be found
that the tannin has dried up and hardened the
softened dentine ; this renders its removal easier
and less painful, and frequently does away with the
necessity for flooring a cavity with cement or gutta-
percha in order to prevent shocks from therma]