The tooth-worm: historical aspects of a popular medical belief

The concept of a tooth-worm, which according to popular belief, caused caries and periodontitis, has existed in diverse cultures and across the ages. During the Enlightenment, however, the theory of the tooth-worm was assigned by medical doctors almost exclusively to superstition. Even so, the idea that toothache was caused by gnawing worms held on even into this century. There were many different ideas with regard to the appearance of tooth-worms. In England, for instance, it was thought that the tooth-worm looked like an eel. In Northern Germany, people supposed the tooth-worm to be red, blue, and gray and in many cases the worm was compared to a maggot. The gnawing worm was held responsible for many evils and, in particular, was blamed for toothache provoked by caries. The question is discussed of how the belief in the existence of the tooth-worm in former times can be explained. In popular medicine, numerous therapies were applied in order to eradicate the tooth-worm. In addition to the fumigations with henbane seeds, which allowed the “tooth-worm” to develop in the form of burst seeds, there were also magical formulas and oaths. Received: 18 February 1998 / Accepted: 19 October 1998     

非牙源性牙痛33例临床分析

目的总结和分析非牙源性牙痛的临床特点。方法对33例非牙源性牙痛患者的临床资料进行回顾性分析。结果三叉神经痛10例;蝶腭神经痛3例;颞下颌关节紊乱症5例;涎石症3例;面部肌筋膜疼痛综合征1例;心源性牙痛2例;脑血管病变2例;上颌窦疾患2例;咽部炎症3例;带状疱疹1例;非典型牙痛1例。结论非牙源性牙痛临床有较多表现,需认真加以鉴别。     

Clinical Application of Sanjian（LI 3） Acupoint

Sanjian （LI 3） is one of the classical acupoint in the author＇s 40-year acupuncture-moxibustion practice. On the 3rd Academic Conference on Magnetism Medicine in 2000, the author reported ＂initial recognition of Sanjian （LI 3）＂, and got favorable comments. Now the clinical application of Sanjian （LI 3） was discussed again as follows.     

电压门控钠离子通道Nav1.8在人牙髓组织中表达的初步研究

目的 通过检测河豚毒素不敏感型电压门控钠离子通道Nav1.8在正常和疼痛人牙髓组织中表达的变化,探讨Nav1.8与牙痛的关系.方法 选择23颗健康第三磨牙为正常组,24颗伴有自发痛、夜间痛或冷热刺激痛的龋源性牙髓炎第三磨牙为疼痛组,分别采用免疫组织化学法、蛋白质印迹法和反转录聚合酶链法检测并比较正常与炎症人牙髓组织中Nav1.8的表达.结果 在人牙髓组织成牙本质细胞下层Nav1.8呈阳性表达;与正常牙髓组织相比,炎症诱发的疼痛牙髓组织中Nav1.8的表达显著增强;免疫组化结果显示炎症牙髓组织中Nav1.8相对表达强度为0.547±0.049,正常组为0.356±0.058,两组差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05);蛋白质印迹法灰度扫描显示疼痛组Nav1.8相对表达量为0.234±0.030,正常组为0.108±0.012,两组差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05);定量反转录聚合酶链结果显示疼痛组Nav1.8 mRNA相对表达量(7.130±2.471)较正常组(1.024±0.295)显著提高(P＜0.05).结论 在炎症诱发的疼痛牙髓组织中Nav1.8高表达;Nav1.8可能参与了牙髓炎疼痛感觉的发生过程.     

郑伟达教授治疗牙痛经验探析

牙痛是口腔科临床最常见的症状,多种牙病和一些非牙源性疾病均可导致牙痛。郑伟达教授认为本类疼痛多由饮食不节,养护不当所致,临证时必先分清外感、内伤,明辨虚实,单纯属于某一类型的牙痛少之又少,牙痛多呈复合型,故辨证当从整体入手,分清主次,治疗时执简驭繁,精细辨证,据理立法。     

手法治疗颈源性牙痛11例

牙痛是口腔中常见的症状之一,一般认为是由牙齿或牙周的疾病引起。而笔者在临床中遇到由于上段颈椎关节紊乱而引起的牙痛11例,并经采用颈椎定点双向旋转扳提法整复紊乱的颈椎后,牙痛得到了治愈。1 临床资料 本组11例中男2例,女9例;年龄26～48岁;左侧牙痛10例,右侧牙痛1例。病程一般在3d～1个月,但其中的李姓48岁女患者的病程是24年。发生疼痛的牙齿均是第7、8根(其中左下7、8根牙痛1例,右下7、8根牙痛1例,左7、8上下牙同时疼痛9例),同时患侧的下颌角及咬肌处疼痛,侧卧、咀嚼和行走振动时牙痛明显,行走不慎如踏空振动时牙痛尤甚,而进食冷、热、酸品时不受影响。查体:患侧C_(2、3)椎横突钝厚、压痛,C_(2、3)棘突按之酸痛,按压C_(2、3)时局部酸麻,牙痛则减轻或缓解,患侧耳大神经点按痛,按之牙痛也能减轻或缓解。颈椎X线片示:环枢关节半脱位(齿状间距左窄右宽)6例,C_(2、3)小关节紊乱5例。所有病例均经口腔科检查,排除了     

The differential diagnosis of toothache from other orofacial pains in clinical practice

Background : Teeth are a common and obvious source of orofacial pain. There is a risk that endodontic treatment may be initiated in patients that do not have pulp or periapical pathosis.
Methods : A retrospective survey of a sample of patients referred for endodontic treatment was analysed to determine the accuracy of the diagnosis and to identify non-dental cases. A separate prospective study of complex non-dental orofacial pain cases was performed to determine which cases had previously received dental treatment.
Results : Seventy-seven (88 per cent) of 88 patients referred for endodontic treatment had been correctly diagnosed with solely endodontic problems. Eight (9 per cent) had endodontic plus other orofacial pain problems and three (3 per cent) had no endodontic problems but other orofacial pain problems. Forty-four (44 per cent) of 100 non-dental orofacial pain patients had previously received either extractions or endodontics.
Conclusion : Dentists need to carefully evaluate all toothache patients to ensure that the diagnosis is correct prior to the initiation of irreversible treatment.     

Treatment of toothache by needling Taichong (LR3): A report of 20 cases

Purpose To explore the feasibility of treating toothache with the acupoints in Liver Meridian. Method According to syndrome differentiation, toothache was divided into pathogenic wind-fire type and deficiency-fire type. Twenty patients were treated by needling Taichong (LR 3) of the affected side. Reducing manipulation was performed for toothache due to pathogenic wind-fire while early-reducing-late-tonifying was performed for toothache due to deficiency-fire type.Results The pain disappearance occurred in 14 cases, improved in 5 cases and no effect in one case.Conclusion Needling Taichong (LR 3) was effective for toothache. Author: Chu Fu-xiang (1955-), male, attending physician Translator: CUI Yi-jun     

以牙痛为首发症状的过敏性紫癜患儿10例

目的:通过对10例以牙痛为首发症状的过敏性紫癜患儿临床资料回顾,总结其临床特点及治疗经验,以期早发现早确诊。方法:对2010年1月~2015年12月于遵义医学院附属口腔医院儿童牙科就诊的10例根尖周炎并发过敏性紫癜患儿的临床资料进行分析。结果:10例全部接受牙体治疗,其中9例住院1次治愈出院,1例口腔内其余牙根尖周炎再发及入院2次。结论:过敏性紫癜可以牙痛为首发症状,但并未引起口腔科及多数儿科医生的警惕,导致误诊,因此打牢临床基本功,加强学科合作有利于早期发现及治疗。