Homeopathy Delaware

Homeopathy Delaware met on November 8, 2023 at Newark Library to learn about homeopathic medicines for a spectrum of dental concerns.

Self Care

Knowing about what remedies to use and how to use them for dental pain and trauma is one of the most practical and useful gems of homeopathy. It is first aid for the mouth and teeth.

Homeopathy works brilliantly to help us overcome chronic illnesses, but chronic symptoms need to be treated by a professional homeopathic practitioner.  However, knowing how to use homeopathic remedies for simple acute problems – accidents, injuries and dental issues, is practical self -care that empowers us, that we can share with others.  

Mouth and Gut Microbiome

The homeopathic dentist is concerned with the whole patient, not just the hole in the tooth. Chronic oral problems can be the tip of the iceberg indicating much more below the surface.

Our mouth is the very beginning of the digestive tract. Issues in the mouth, gums and teeth can reflect deeper problems in the rest of the body. Hahnemann, the father of Homeopathy, and other homeopaths wrote / lectured about this connection 200 years ago, as did pioneer in natural health and dentistry, Weston Price, in the 1920s and 30s.

Chronic vs Acute

Treatment with Homeopathy provided by a professional homeopath can change a person’s susceptibility to oral / dental disease, resulting in healing chronic problems such as periodontal inflammation.

The good news is that treatment with homeopathic remedies can be readily used for acute dental pain and trauma. Luckily for us, there is much homeopathic wisdom for acute care to draw from. Do remember – homeopathic medicines for acute dental situations do not replace good dental care but do complement it.

REMEDIES and REASONS for USE

FEAR

One dental problem that responds well to homeopathy is fear, anxiety and anticipation of the dental visit.  

Aconite (monkshood) – fearful, restless, angry (children); sensitive to touch   

Gelsemium (yellow jasmine) – trepidation, weakness/lethargic, diarrhea   

PAIN FROM INFLAMMATION

Abscess – In order to prescribe the best remedy it is important to know what questions to ask so that useful symptoms are elicited. It is necessary to discover the source of pain in order to cure the underlying problem. A person may not know he or she has an abscess unless diagnosed by an x-ray. But often it can be guessed from the symptoms.

Belladonna (deadly night shade) – initial stages; throbbing, heat, redness of gums, gum boils.

Hepar sulphuris calcareum – when pus has formed (may not see it) but may feel pressure, have swelling; hypersensitive to touch and cold drinks / food; person may feel cold, chills, even with fever; better(>) warm wraps, warmth; worse (<) lying on painful part; person hypersensitive to pain. Helps drain or absorb pus, reducing pressure and pain.

Silicea (silica) – abscess in root, swelling face, gums; hastens drainage and resolution, prevents and treats dental fistulas (an abnormal connection between 2 spaces caused by the spread of abscess and discharging from the tooth root to the side of the face below the eye, the maxillary sinus or the nasal cavity). Person may feel cold, worse from cold food/drink. Better (>) warm wraps on the head, warmth in general.*Do not use Silicea after Mercurius or vice versa. They are incompatible.

Mercurius (mercury) – increased salivation, foul breath; pulsating pain worse (<) night; worse (<) heat and cold; pain may extend to ears especially at night. * Do not give Mercurius and Silicea before or after each other.  

Hecla lava (volcanic ash from Mt Hecla) – is differentiated from above remedies by swelling around the jaw.  Worse (<) touch, pressure. Cervical glands hard.                                   

WISDOM TEETH – The Etiology is ‘ailments from cutting wisdom teeth’.

Magnesium carbonicum – intense pain, sensitive to least touch; worse night. Better (>) motion and walking around. Also see above remedies for inflammation and pain.  

NEURALGIC PAIN – SENSITIVITY

Chamomilla – such pain they cannot take it; anger, refuse things offered – not consoled; one red cheek; worse (<) warm drinks, coffee ( but only the teeth and jaw- other pains better (>) heat and coffee); worse(>)dentition.  Gums may be swollen and hot during toothache.

Aconite- sudden unbearable sharp, tearing pain with restlessness, anxiety, fear and worse (>) movement, from severe pulpitis or nerve inflammation. Toothache in sound teeth, from cold or cold wind.

Coffea – frantic with pain, sleepless; better (>) holding cold water or ICE in mouth; not better (>) Chamomilla

Plantago (plantain) – pain in decayed hollow teeth radiating to ears- plain between tooth and ears, face, eyelids; excessive salivation; headache. Better (>) eating. Use low potencies. Use a Q- tip saturated with Plantago mother tincture on cavity.

Hypericum (St. John’s Wort herb) – nerve pain after extraction, dental work. Pain can be extremely out of proportion to the symptoms. Hypericum given in alternation with Arnica allows significantly less dental pain as compared to placebo. (Journal of the American Institute of Homeopathy, September 1985)

Magnesium phosphoricum – often referred to as homeopathic aspirin. Toothache better (>) by heat and hot liquids, worse (<) cold drinks.  Chills.  Pain shoots like lightening. May have muscle spasms and sore jaw from holding mouth open.

Nux vomica- tooth ache worse (<) mental exertion; worse (<) morning; better (>) warm drinks; streaks of sharp stabbing pain.

TRAUMA PAIN – EXTRACTION, SURGERY, ACCIDENTAL INJURY

Arnica (leopard’s bane) – queen of trauma remedies; for all trauma to soft tissue from extraction, surgery, accidental injury; prevents hemorrhage if given prior to and after extraction, surgery. Use for accidental injury, blows to face affecting teeth. Pain from ill- fitting false teeth, from braces.

200c after extraction / surgery – when numbing gone ( ~3 hr) if have pain, take again; wait patiently for a short time and if the pain abated take nothing until there is no longer any improvement.

Blow to two front teeth – 200c to 1M.  If wake with painful swollen lip give Hypericum 30 c.

Ruta (rue) – pain after dental surgery with injury to bone, periosteum, ligaments; preparation for and implantation of devices; pain of braces; dry socket after root canal (blood doesn’t clot well, bone and nerve ending exposed.)

If teeth are loose after blow, use Arnica 200c followed by Ruta 30c to strengthen ligaments.

Ledum (marsh tea) – puncture wound pain, from injection; the pain may be better (>) cold or cold compresses or may feel cold

Hypericum – puncture wound, if not better from Ledum; especially if the nerve has been accidently injected with novacaine. Injuries to nerves from blows or dental procedure.

Staphisagria – incision pain such as periodontal flap, other flaps, graft procedures.   Pain, least touch of tooth, even from a bread crumb. May have anger, indignation about the issues.

Calendula succus mother tincture – abrasions or lacerations to oral cavity, to gums from surgery, extraction, filling a tooth, from braces, burns from hot food, drink. Dilute according to directions on bottle of mother tincture.

Sore tooth after Root Canal – if tooth was alive, give Hypericum 30c or if throbbing give Belladonna 30c; If tooth was dead, give Hepar 30c or Silicea 30c if throbbing – Dr Fortinski, homeopathic dentist

HEMORRAGE

Arnica – prevents when given prior to extraction, surgery and when given after the same

Phosphorous – hemorrhage of bright red blood if Arnica is not helping

Calendula mother tincture – homeostatic after tooth extraction

HEAT / COLD

Tooth pain, better or worse cold, is not an unusual symptom. Tooth pain, better heat, warmth is unusual since heat increases blood flow, swelling and usually pain.

REPERTORY RUBRICS – basic rubrics

Teeth, Abscess of roots

Teeth, Pain, extraction, after filling

Teeth, Pain, swelling of cheek

Teeth, Fistula, Dentalis

PHARMACY

Aconite, Arnica, Belladonna, Calendula, Chamomilla, Coffea, Gelsemium, Hypericum, Hepar sulphuris calcareum, Hekla lava, Ledum, Magnesium carbonicum, Magnesium phosphoricum, Mercurius, Nux vomica, Phosphorous, Plantago, Ruta, Silicea, Staphisagria

Remedies in 30c; Arnica in 30c, 200c

Mother tinctures of Calendula succus and Plantago – mother tinctures must be ordered from a homeopathic pharmacy. A homeopathic mother tincture is not the same as an herbal tincture -it is prepared differently.

TAKING the REMEDY

Take the remedy in 30c potency unless indicated in a higher potency – as with the use of Arnica 200c for extraction and deep surgery and blows to the front teeth.  If discomfort has not improved slightly, or to a greater degree, in about 20 – 30 minutes, repeat the remedy. If the patient is better, wait and repeat when symptoms of discomfort begin to return.  Observe the patient.

If pain has not been improved by the first selected remedy, given twice, review the symptoms and choose another remedy.

Mother Tincture of Calendula – ½ tsp to one cup water – use as mouth wash

Mother Tincture of Plantain – apply locally to cavity

All information is for educational purposes only. Consult a professional homeopathic practitioner or other medical provider as is warranted.

RESOURCES

National Center for Homeopathy   www.homeopathycenter.org

The Prescriber   John Henry Clarke, MD   pp 345-360