Digestive Diseases



139. – Teething.

There are two sets of teeth; the first – the milk-teeth – appears during the early period of life, and falls out in the seventh or eighth year, to be replaced by a permanent, which is not completed till the commencement of adult life. The order in which the milk-teeth appear is generally as follows- about the sixth month the two middle incisors of the lower jaw, followed in a few weeks by the corresponding incisors of the upper jaw; next appear the two outside incisors of the lower jaw, and soon after those of the upper; after another interval of perhaps about two months, the first four molars, then the eye-teeth, and, lastly, four other molars, completing, by about the second year, the teeth of the first set. Should there be any little derivation from this order, or should dentition be a little prolonged, no great importance need be attached to it.

Dentition being a natural process, should certainly not be regarded as in itself a disease, still less a dangerous one, but simply a natural period of the development of the child’s organism. Notwithstanding, in feeble children, the process of teething is a trying one, and in some instances may be even dangerous.

DISORDERS. – The increased activity and excitement in the vascular system, combined with the nervous irritation which sometimes attends Dentition, may, in delicate children, give rise to a greater or less amount of local or constitutional disturbance. Rickets greatly influence the progress of teething. If this disease sets in previous to the commencement of Dentition, the evolution of the teeth may be almost indefinitely delayed; or, if some are already cut, further progress is arrested. Rickety children of eighteen months to two years old may often be seen with very few teeth, and those few black and carious. In Tuberculosis and congenital Syphilis, on the other hand, the teeth are cut early, and before the frame is sufficiently consolidated to sustain the necessary changes.

But, as in too early Dentition, the constitution is rarely sufficiently strong to sustain the evolutions it has to undergo; so in late Dentition there is a languid condition, indicative of a weakly constitution; and in neither case should domestic treatment be confided in.

SYMPTOMS. – Irritation in the mouth, swollen or tender gums, and increased flow of saliva; starting as if in fright, or interrupted sleep; sudden occurrence of febrile symptoms; various eruptions on the head or body; derangement of the digestive organs – Diarrhoea, sickness, or Constipation; and sometimes Spasms and Convulsions. Diarrhoea and other symptoms of Indigestion are most frequent in the summer and autumn, and when, therefore, children are most exposed to sudden changes; disordered Dentition, further, is often coincident with a change of diet from the mother’s milk to various articles which are unsuited to the age of the child.

CAUSES. – Weakly constitution; Rachitis. The exciting causes are irregular feeding; excessive feeding; improper quality of food; keeping the head too hot; too little out-of-door air. By such means the stomach is disordered, the nervous system disturbed, and restlessness, crying, Colic, and even Convulsions follow. In nearly every case these causes may be avoided, and the sufferings reduced to a minimum, even in tubercular constitutions.

Local affections of the gums, as inflammation; or disproportion between the jaw and the number and form of the teeth, are also causes of suffering.

EPITOME OF TREATMENT. – 1. Feverishness, etc. – Aconite, Chamomilla (fretfulness; one cheek pale, the other flushed.)

2. Diarrhoea. – Chamomilla (sudden; pinching pains; slimy or yellow, sour-smelling, offensive motions); Mercurius (green or bloody); Coloc. (Colic); Podoph. (paroxysms of pain, with Prolapsus Ani); Belladonna (nervous irritability flushed cheeks); Calcarea carb. or Sulph. (tubercular children); Arsenicum (with emaciation); Iris. (With vomiting).

3. Constipation. – Bryonia, Nux V., Sulphur, Aconite, Plumb.

4. Sleeplessness, etc. – Coffea (nervous excitability); Belladonna (flushed face); Gelsemium (simple wakefulness); Kreas. (agitation).

5. Convulsions. – Bell, Chamomilla, etc. See Section on Convulsions.

6. Irregular Dentition. – Calcarea carb. (too early or late); Ac.- Phosphorus (excessive weakness; rachitic constitution; see also Section 69; Silicea (perspirations about the head); Kreas. (thin, irritable children; early dental decay). Also the use of lime- water.

Chamomilla. – Bilious Diarrhoea, with intestinal irritation, fretfulness, restlessness, disturbed circulation.

Calcarea. – Valuable for tubercular children; also in cases complicated with slimy or mucous Diarrhoea.

ACCESSORY TREATMENT. – Regularity in the times of feeding and sleep; correction of any habits in the mother which may affect the child unfavourably; restriction to suitable quantities of food at one time. Keeping the head cool and the feet warm, washing the child daily in cold water, and allowing it to be much in the open air tend to prevent determination of blood to the head. Neave’s Farinaceous Food, prepared according to the directions supplied with it, is a good artificial diet for children. Purgatives are to be strictly avoided. Costiveness in children in generally due to errors in diet; if obstinate, or if worms are present, injections may be used.

140. – Toothache.

CAUSES. – Decay is the most common predisposing cause; sudden changes of temperature, derangements of the digestive organs, pregnancy, and general bad health, are the most frequent exciting causes. When the cavity of a tooth has been exposed by caries, the dental pulp is extremely liable to pain from contact with food, liquids, or atmospheric air; and if the health be much impaired, or the central pulp greatly irritated, acute Inflammation, with extreme pain, may result.

NEURALGIC TOOTHACHE occurs in paroxysms, which come and go suddenly (see Section on Neuralgia).

TREATMENT. – If Kreasote, Laudanum, etc., have been used as local applications, the mouth should be thoroughly cleansed before taking any of the following remedies. After three or four doses of any medicine have been administered without mitigating the symptoms, another should be selected.

EPITOME OF TREATMENT. –

1. From cold or chill. – Aconite, Belladonna, Chamomilla, Dulcamara, Mercurius, Gloninum

2. From decayed teeth. – Kreas., Staphysagria, Belladonna, Mercurius, Silicea, Ant. -C., Phosphorus, Nux V., Aconite, Mercurius, Camph. is said to cure the pain and arrest decay.

3. From Indigestion. Bryonia, Nux vomica, Pulsatilla, Mercurius

4. Nervous. – Belladonna, Chamomilla, Nux V., Coffea, Ignatia, Arsenicum

5. Rheumatic. – Chamomilla, Mercurius, Cimic., Bryonia

6. In children. Aconite, Chamomilla, Belladonna, Silicea

7. In pregnancy. – Belladonna, Nux., Coffea, Chamomilla, Sepia, Kreas. (6x).

8. Preventives. – Arsenicum, Kreas., Mercurius, Phosphorus, Silicea Euphor.

LEADING INDICATIONS. –

Chamomilla. – Toothache from a draught, or suppressed perspiration, and affecting the ear; the teeth feel long and loose; the cheeks and gums are swollen, but the skin is not very red; and the pain aggravated by eating or drinking, especially by warm drinks. It is suited to children during teething, with watery, greenish, foetid diarrhoea.

Belladonna. – Shooting, throbbing pains, affecting several teeth on one side, so that it is impossible to point out the exact tooth; the pains shift about, and are increased by contact of the teeth or by warm or cold applications; determination of blood to the head, flushed face, excessive sensitiveness to external impression, swelling of the cheek or glands, dryness of the mouth or throat, inflammation of the dental pulp.

Mercurius. – Decayed teeth; violent scraping or lacerating pain in the cheek-bones, or pains aggravated by eating or drinking, and also at night in bed; pains affecting the entire side of the face-extending to the temples, glands, and eats; Toothache with Salivation (not caused by Mercury); profuse perspirations in bed, which do not afford relief.

Glonoine. – Pulsation in the teeth, with Headache; Toothache after being overheated and taking cold.

Arsenicum. – Unbearable jerking pains, coming on or aggravated at night. This remedy may be continued for some time after the cessation of pain, to prevent a recurrence.

Arnica. – Pain consequent on extraction or other dental operations; the mouth should be rinsed with a mixture of one part of the strong tincture to about ten of water.

Hepar Sulphur. – Decay of teeth, and easily bleeding gums, from Mercury. Carbo Veg. and Ac.-Nit. are also useful in similar conditions.

Aconitum. – Acute, stinging pain, or hard aching, relieved temporarily by cold water; there is throbbing, heat of the face, and sometimes chilliness, but not the mental confusion and sensitiveness to noise, light, etc., which indicate Belladonna A drop or two of the strong tincture or of the first dilution, applied to the tooth by means of piece of lint, will sometimes promptly relieve this kind of Toothache.

Edward Harris Ruddock
Ruddock, E. H. (Edward Harris), 1822-1875. M.D.
LICENTIATE OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS; MEMBER OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS; LICENTIATE IN MIDWIFERY, LONDON AND EDINBURGH, ETC. PHYSICIAN TO THE READING AND BERKSHIRE HOMOEOPATHIC DISPENSARY.

Author of "The Stepping Stone to Homeopathy and Health,"
"Manual of Homoeopathic Treatment". Editor of "The Homoeopathic World."