1. Toothache (pulpitis in modern medicine): inflammation due to bacterial infection, or acute, chronic inflammation due to other external factors. Most of the toothaches are caused by stomach fire, liver fire or kidney fire flaming due to pathogenic wind, heat and other external pathogens. Clinical manifestations: toothache, severe pain, dull pain, averse to wind, occurrence of pain due to wind excess, toothache without falling asleep at night, cold and hot by turns, disable of mouth open, difficult food intake, pale tongue, white tongue coating, superficial and rapid pulse or wiry pulse.
Prescriptions: Jing Fang Bai Du San: Jing Jie, Fang Feng, Chai Hu, Qian Hu, Qiang Huo, Du Huo, Zhi Ke, Jie Geng, Chuan Xiong, Bai Zhi, Bo He, Sheng Jiang. Modifications: add Jin Yin Hua, Lian Qiao and Shi Gao for wind heat; add Fu Zi and Gan Jiang for wind cold; add Long Dan Cao and Zhi Zi for liver fire.
2. Scolecodont (dental caries in modern medicine): the toothache is caused by damp and heat stagnation in stomach and intestine, long term heat stagnation in spleen and stomach, or invasion from wind cold and wind heat. Clinical manifestations: Cavity in the teeth, pain, sharp pain, discomfort with clod and heat. Be uncomfortable with cold, hot, acid, spicy and sweat food; or pale yellow or black teeth, bleeding gums, halitosis; swelling, or purulency; red tongue, yellow and sticky tongue coating, wiry and rapid pulse, etc.
Prescriptions: modification of Qing Wei San: Dang Gui Wei, raw Di Huang, Mu Dan Pi, Sheng Ma, Huang Lian, Fang Feng, Jing Jie, soft Shi Gao and Yuan Shen. Stuff some pills of Liu Shen Wan into tooth cavity to treat kinds of toothache.
Key words: toothache, Jing Fang Bai Du San, Qing Wei San
Writer: Ruiren Liang
Traditional Chinese medicine department, health service center, Cuihui community, Luohu Traditional Chinese medicine hospital, Shenzhen (518020)
Comments:
May want to note that Liu Shen Wan is illegal to prescribe in the US.