Treatise on the natural history and diseases of the human teeth : explaining their structure, use, formation, growth, and diseases, in two parts / by John Hunter ; with notes by Thomas Bell.

  • John Hunter
Date:
1839
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Treatise on the natural history and diseases of the human teeth : explaining their structure, use, formation, growth, and diseases, in two parts / by John Hunter ; with notes by Thomas Bell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    It is not easy to say by what means the cavity comes to be ex- posed. The most common disease to which the teeth are subject begins with a small dark-coloured speck, generally on the side of the tooth where it is not exposed to pressure; from what cause this arises is hitherto unknown. The substance of the tooth thus discoloured gradually decays, and an opening is made into the cavity. As soon as the air is thereby admitted a considerable degree of pain arises, which is probably owing to the admission of the air, as it maybe prevented by filling the cavity with lead, wax, &c. This pain is not always present; the food and other substances perhaps fill up the hole occasionally, and prevent the access of the air, and of consequence the pain, during the time they remain in it. When an opening is made into the cavity of the tooth the inside begins to decay, the cavity becomes larger, the breath at the same time often acquires a putrid fo&tor, the bone continues to decay till it is no longer able to support the pressure of the opposite tooth; it breaks and lays the cavity open. We have not as yet found any means of preventing this disease, or of curing it; all that can be done is to fill the hole with lead, which prevents the pain and retards the decay; but after the tooth is broken this is not practicable, and for that reason it is then best to extract it. It would be best of all to attempt the extraction of a tooth by drawing it in the direction of its axis, but that not being practicable by the instruments at present in use, which pull laterally, it is the next best to draw a tooth to that side where the alveolar process is weakest, which is the inside in the two last grinders on each side of the lower jaw, and the outside in all the others. It generally happens in drawing a tooth that the alveolar process is broken, particularly when the grinders are extracted; but this is attended with no bad consequences, as that part of the alveolar pro- cess from which the tooth was extracted always decays. In drawing a tooth the patient complains of a disagreeable jarring noise, which always happens when anything grates against the bones of the head.* Of Cleaning the Teeth. From what was said of the nature and use of the enamel, it is evident that whatever is capable of destroying it must be hurtful; therefore all acids, gritty powders, and injudicious methods of scaling the teeth are prejudicial; but simply scaling the teeth, that is clearing them of the stony concretions which frequently collect about their necks, while nothing is scraped off but that adventitious substance, is proper and useful. If not removed by art, the quan- * [The introduction of forceps of various forms, and of simple elevators, has greatly facilitated the extaction of single-rooted teeth and stumps; but the'key instrument must still be acknowledged to be the most certain instrument in many, perhaps in most, cases.]
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