Page 75 - My FlipBook
P. 75
;
TREATMENT OF CARIES. 71
matter being the oxyd of silver deposited on the
walls of the cavity, is wholly foreign, and holds no
necessary relation to the kind of decay, or to the
agency producing it. The deposit may possibly serve
as a temporary shield to the dentine beneath, but
only temporary ; whereas, on the other hand, it will
be remembered that nitric acid is liberated by the
decomposition of the nitrate, and operates destruc-
tively upon the tooth-bone. An ethereal solution of
the terchloride of gold has also been suggested as a
preventive application. Its operation would be much
the same as that of the nitrate of silver, and equally
inefficient. Preparations to neutralize and counteract
the effects of deleterious agents upon the teeth have
been recommended as topical applications. These
are such as possess alkaline properties. But anything
of this kind would require frequent application ; in-
deed, it would be necessary to keep the affected part
constantly under its influence, as long as the sur-
rounding conditions continued to favor decay.
Though nothing of this kind can be relied upon
permanently to arrest caries, yet, in many instances,
much benefit is to be derived from local treatment.
Alkaline topical applications will, in many cases,
alleviate the most acute sensitiveness of the dentine
accomplishing this, no doubt, by their neutralizing
influence upon the irritating agents. Many opera-
TREATMENT OF CARIES. 71
matter being the oxyd of silver deposited on the
walls of the cavity, is wholly foreign, and holds no
necessary relation to the kind of decay, or to the
agency producing it. The deposit may possibly serve
as a temporary shield to the dentine beneath, but
only temporary ; whereas, on the other hand, it will
be remembered that nitric acid is liberated by the
decomposition of the nitrate, and operates destruc-
tively upon the tooth-bone. An ethereal solution of
the terchloride of gold has also been suggested as a
preventive application. Its operation would be much
the same as that of the nitrate of silver, and equally
inefficient. Preparations to neutralize and counteract
the effects of deleterious agents upon the teeth have
been recommended as topical applications. These
are such as possess alkaline properties. But anything
of this kind would require frequent application ; in-
deed, it would be necessary to keep the affected part
constantly under its influence, as long as the sur-
rounding conditions continued to favor decay.
Though nothing of this kind can be relied upon
permanently to arrest caries, yet, in many instances,
much benefit is to be derived from local treatment.
Alkaline topical applications will, in many cases,
alleviate the most acute sensitiveness of the dentine
accomplishing this, no doubt, by their neutralizing
influence upon the irritating agents. Many opera-
