From our archives: Toothache and Homoeopathy
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 1997 May / Jun VOL 5 NO 3.
Compiled by
T K Kasiviswanathan
'Cham / Chin / Coff / Plat / Hyos / Pip-m
Homoeopathy has many remedies, which in the healthy state will produce toothache. Dr Boenninghausen, who was one of the brilliant Homoeoathic contemporaries of Dr Hahnemann, has given tips and cited several cases of toothache, which have been treated with Homoeopathic remedies. Some of the important cases cured by him and others are given below. He has presented clearly the differential diagnosis relating to the remedies. The modalities and concomitant symptoms have been clearly brought out in the description of the cases.
TIPS
1. "After a cold produced by exposure to an easterly wind, a fever with great congestion towards the head frequently takes place, together with burning heat in the face, frequent and hard pulse and great agitation of body and mind. To these symptoms may be added, violent and throbbing toothache, chiefly on one side and occupying the whole jaw, with redness of the cheek. In such cases Aconite is the specific."
Dr Boenninghausen
2. "Another kind of throbbing pain in teeth, produced very often by cold, but without fever, will be cured by Causticum. It is always accompanied by painful sensitivity, swelling and ready bleeding of the gums with dragging pains in the muscles of the face, in the eyes and ears. Dr. Boenninghausen writes " I myself was affected last winter for several days with this complaint, because I did not understand, from the absence of other principal symptoms, which was the right remedy to select. After employing many remedies without relief, I was cured in two hours by taking one dose of Causticum and from that time I have not suffered from a similar toothache. Toothache to which Causticum is appropriate is always of a chronic nature, Causticum having a long medicinal action; but remedies whose actions are limited to a short period will never affect this kind of toothache."
Dr Boenninghausen
3. Chamomilla is very useful in throbbing toothache affecting especially women and children. The ache is almost intolerable at night, and increase by the warmth of the bed thus causing despair to the patient, who runs about moaning. There is generally redness and swelling of one cheek; the hair is moist; there is a great thirst and swelling of submaxillary glands.
4. "Persons who are accustomed to suffering very often from a throbbing pain in the teeth are, after the nature of the accompanying symptoms almost always cured by Aconite,
Chamomilla, Ignatia, Nux or Pulsatilla. Then in throbbing pain in persons who never take coffee, then too for such toothache the tincture of Coffea-cruda is the specific.
Dr Boenninghausen
5. In several cases, Dr Boenninghauesn says he has used Sabina, a rarely used remedy for toothache. It is a specific in a kind of toothache which occurs in the evening and in the night and especially in females. Abundant discharge of light coloured blood not noticed even at the time of catamenia. In one case pain like gout in right toe was removed by external remedy and after that this kind of toothache appeared. After one dose of Sabina neither the toe pain nor the toothache returned as this remedy covered both the symptoms.
6. A malady of more frequent occurrence is a chronic throbbing in the teeth, with shooting pain, for which Sepia is a specific. This kind of toothache occurs in persons of a yellowish complexion, and extends to the ears down the arms to the fingers with a tingling in the latter and is very often accompanied by difficulty in breathing, swelling of the cheeks, cough, and swelling of the submaxillary glands. This remedy is particularly indicated in pregnant women.
7. Spigelia is indicated for toothache when a kind of prosopalgia is always found with a stirring, griping and burning pain in the zygotic bone accompanied by paleness and swelling of the face. There is pain in the eyes with violent beating of the heart; there is frequent desire to urinate and there is copious urine and there is shivering. Dr Boenninghausen cured a robust woman who had these symptoms more particularly the toothache and prosopalgia which occurred almost twice every week. One dose of Spigelia cured her and these two symptoms never recurred.
8. Hyoscyamus is also indicated in a form of toothache. It appears generally in the morning and is almost always caused by a cold. There is throbbing in the tooth itself while in the gums a tearing sensation prevails and in masticating the tooth seems loose as if it would fall out. There is always a congestion to the head with great heat all over the body. In violent attacks there is a sense of strangulation with difficulty of deglutination and cramps with mental fatigue.
