Homeopathy Papers

Homeopathy in Dentistry

Written by Robert Medhurst

The author discusses the application of homeopathic remedies in the area of dentistry.

ARTICLE

Homeopathy has a broad range of uses and there are some areas in particular where the results from its use can be spectacular. In the area of dentistry and oral health in general, the judicious use of the appropriate homeopathic medicine can provide rapid relief from a number of conditions for which there is little that conventional medicine can offer, or where the cure may at times be worse than the disease.

Following are some of the more common conditions that may be seen here and some solutions that have been found in routine practice to alleviate them. Unless specified, the medicines mentioned should not be repeated any more than 3 times without the advice of a competent and qualified practitioner.

Abrasions:
From instrumentation or manipulation- apply Hypericum and Calendula tinctures to the area 3 times daily.

Abscesses:
Initially, with throbbing, and mild, Belladonna 30C, every 30 mins. With halitosis and excessive salivation use Merc sol 6C every hour. With obvious pus, to hasten it’s expulsion, use Hepar sulph 6C every 2 hours. Where the abscess is swollen and accompanied by numbness in the area, use Myristica 6X every hour. Once pus has started to drain, to hasten it’s removal use Silica 6C twice daily.

Apthous ulcers:

In nervous patients use Borax 30C every 4 hours. Where they occur with foul breath, and the tongue is large and retains the imprints of the teeth, use Merc sol 30C every 4 hours. Ulcers with yellow or yellow-green bases, with a swollen uvula, use Kali bich 30C every 4 hours. Ulcers with bleeding bases, use Nit ac 30C every 4 hours.

Anaesthetic, general, to detoxify:
Use a mixture of Leptandra 6C, Nux vomica 6C, Lycopodium 6C and Urtica urens 6C, three times daily.

Apprehension (about surgery):
Trepidation with lethargy – use Gelsemium 30C on the morning and evening prior to the procedure and then one hour prior. Trepidation with hyperactivity – use Arg nit 30C on the morning and evening prior to the procedure and then one hour prior.

Bleeding:
Initially, Arnica 200C every 15 minutes. For persistent bleeding of bright red blood use Phosphorus 30C every 15 minutes. For persistent bleeding of dark blood use Lachesis 30C every hour.

Bruxism:
While sleeping, use Cina 30C, one hour before sleep. While awake, use Nux vomica 30C twice daily.

Dental Trauma:
Injuries resulting in bruising or fractures- use Arnica 30C three times daily for chronic problems, or every hour for acute injury for up to 6 doses. Injuries resulting in nerve damage should be treated with Hypericum 30C every hour for acute injury. Injuries resulting from puncture wounds, such as injections, use Ledum 30C every hour.

Injuries resulting from incisional wounds, use Staphysagria 15C every hour. For tired sore jaws following prolonged surgical procedures that are improved by warmth, use Mag phos 30C every hour. For tired sore jaws following surgical procedures that are not improved by warmth, use Arnica 30C every hour.

Dry socket:
With throbbing pain use Belladonna 30C every hour. With unbearable pain, use Coffea 30C, every 15 minutes. To promote healing use Hepar sulph 6C every 4 hours.

Eruption of teeth, delayed:
Use Calc carb 30C, twice a week.

Gingivitis (acute):
With heavily coated tongue, use Merc sol 30C three times daily. With clean tongue, use Nit ac 30C three times daily. With excessive destruction of tissue, use Kali chlor 30C three times daily.

Halitosis:
Use a mixture of Carbo veg 30C and Merc sol 30C twice daily.

Pain:
Chamomilla 200C, one hour prior to surgery, and repeated very 15 minutes as necessary for no more than 6 doses.

Periodontitis (Chronic pyorrhoea):
With bleeding gums, foul breath and a large tongue the retains the imprint of the teeth use Merc sol 6C once daily. For bleeding gums with substantial loss of periodontal bone, use Phosphorus 15C once daily.

Scar tissue, to reduce formation of:
Use a mixture of Thiosinaminum 6C, Silica 6C, Arnica 6C, Anagalis 6C and Benzoic acid 6C, three times daily for 5 days after surgery.

Scaling, for sore gums following:
Use Arnica 30C every 2 hours.

Thrush (oral):
Borax 30C three times daily.

About the author

Robert Medhurst

Robert Medhurst BNat DHom DBM DRM DNutr is an Australian Naturopath & Homeopath with 40 years of clinical experience. He has written many articles and lectured on homeopathy throughout Australia and the U.S. Robert previously set up and operated 5 natural therapies practices in Sydney and Adelaide and was involved in teaching and medical research. He was formerly the Expert Advisor on Homeopathy to the Federal Government of Australia, Dept. of Health & Ageing. He specialises in homeopathy and is the author of The Business of Healing, the definitive guide for clinical practice establishment and management, as well as The Concordant Clinical Homeopathic Repertory. For more information see adelaidehillsnaturopath.com.au.

27 Comments

  • Twenty five or more years ago I was told , and many times since, that I must have surgery because pockets in my gums were forming and the decay would worsen, perhaps to the point where I’d lose teeth. The dentist was very insistent. I said let me see first if I can stop the advance with homeopathy. He was not happy. I have not yet had surgery done, I do have pockets that show limited receding gums, but even the deepest pocket is now improved. How? I bought a water-pic, added tincture of calendula to the water and used it in addition to using only calendula toothpaste. When the water pic broke I just used the tooth paste and have since. No one said a word when the measurement of the worst part showed it was less deep. No one asked how I did it. But I’m a happy camper! Thanks to homeopathy.

  • Use a mixture of Carbo veg 30C and Merc sol 30C twice daily.

    Use a mixture of Thiosinaminum 6C, Silica 6C, Arnica 6C, Anagalis 6C and Benzoic acid 6C, three times daily

    Why the mixures are used? What happens if it won’t work. What happens if short amel is there and problen repeats despite of repetition of mixures?…
    Is it the way homeo practiced by learned teachers. Better to give up organon. Practice as one likes.

    • I am an engineer and based on the articles such as these, I cannot tell you the times Merc Sol or Plantago M has come to my aid. If you’ve ever had an onset of tooth pain (and esp. in those corona times with everthing locked down), you’d wish you had done your research.
      I (and am sure other too) take Robert’s layout here as guidelines and delve further on them.
      You, however, seem like an established experienced well-educated what not homeopath .. can we have an article from you please .. something .. anything ??

  • Dear DR.Robert, It is a nice piece of advice to many people who are scared when they approach qualified dentists.In the first visit to a dentist he will invariably recommend for scaling of the tartar on the teeth.The patient has no choice but to comply.I believe that this is the biggest mistake we are forced to commit.In fact homeopathy can help in removing the tartar in a very simple way than the barbaric way of scaling the teeth ruthless.I am also surprised how good the sterilization of the equipment is carried out when the contamination of hiv virus is so rampant now a days.In case the job is not done properly what is the plight of the patient? God only knows.very good advice. keep it up.regards

    • I would love to know how to remove tartar without going to the dentist for scaling. Do you mean the similimum will do it or are there specifics for that? Thank you. Carol

  • I thank Naja and Maryam for their comments and would hope that, if indeed they are homeopaths, they would certainly use the procedure laid out in the Organan, determine the Simillimum, and use it. This article was originally written for dental surgeons, not homeopaths, in an effort to encourage them to use homeopathy. If this were a journal for homeopaths I would certainly not have mentioned mixtures. It is not. Hpathy’s slogan is, “Homeopathy for everyone”, not homeopathy for homeopaths and I thanks the editors for ensuring that this is the case. This and other articles I write are usually written for the neophyte who may like to use some simple homeopathic solutions for firat aid and other scenarios, and, encouraged by their results from these, go on to study the subject in more depth. This is how we grow homeopathy. This is my aim. I look forward to seeing the efforts of Naja and Maryam in doing the same.

  • For tooth abscess, give a mixture of homeopathic medicines in 200 potency, 4 drops, 4 hourly, which has never failed in any case till date. Practice makes one perfect.
    1. Anacardium
    2. Kreosotum
    3. Merc sol
    4. Staphysagria

    • All these medicines have different symptoms and modalities. How do you come up with such a mixture? There would be no ‘homeopathicity’ in any case if such a mixture is prescribed routinely. Have you ever studied in detail the very different mental states of these 4 remedies? And why 200 potency? Why not 3, 6, 30 or 1M? There has to be some rationale in the choice of remedy and potency. Or is it not the case?

      • 200 is a medium potency
        no aggravation for sure.
        this combination is only
        for GUM abscessed TOOTH.
        give it to ten patients
        then report cure.
        thanks.

    • Dr. Das,

      I have a problem with my teeth. Since January 2016, I am feeling a sensitiveness in the teeth mainly in the lower denture on left side. Initially it was in the gum but now it has shifted towards the incisors and has settled there. From the beginning, the shooting pain bothers only when I take some cold water in the mouth. I never use refrigerator’s water. Only if the cold water of tube-well, it gives a jerking pain. I used to feel the pain at no other times except holding the cold water of tube-well in the mouth. Still the problem persists and has increased and now at other times also I feel the pain though it is very mild. There is no problem like gum bleeding, infection, looseness, caries, or cavities. I maintain good oral hygiene. Homeopathically I have taken Kreosote 30, Hepar Sulph 200, Spigelia 200, Aconite 200, Staphysegria 30 all individually, not in combination, with no help. Currently I am taking Mag Phos 6x, Calcarea Flour 6x, and Silicia 6x biochemically as well as Kreosote 30 and Staphys 30, using a medicated toothpaste prescribed for sensitive tooth but the problem continues. I reiterate there is no other problem except this sensitivity. Will your prescription of the aforementioned four medicines with prescribed potency be effective in my case. Please be kind to answer.

      Thanking in advance.

  • Practical hints:
    When my aged mother who got her rotten tooth extracted, suffered severe pain even from drinking a sip of water and said that it look like nerve pain then i gave her Hypericum -200 and waited for 3 hours. It did not work. Then i tried to palpate the cheek area, she didn’t allow then I have her Arnica-30C in split dose. Within 2 hours she could eat food.

    In Another case of my patient for whom there was bleeding after tear in gum from the dental work and reported abnormal pain which is dispropotionate to that cut, I gave him CALENDULA-30 in Split doses. It worked immediately and miraculously.

    In a case where one of my friend’s son use to get fever two days ahead of doctors appointment. After checking other keynotes, I gave Arg Nit. It did not work. Then I repertorised in Kent it is NUX V (3 grades) and surprisingly it is his constitutional remedy too. He never got such fever again in last 10 years.

    Naga, NJ, USA
    [email protected]

  • Phosphorus: It has caries of the lower jaw, with great heat, burning and fistulous openings. Neuralgia of the face and teeth; has to be wrapped up at night; worse in windy weather.
    A young boy got operated his right sided lower jaw FISTULA, without any improvement. Then PHOS 200 daily 4 doses cured him after a few weeks. Later, after a couple of years he came to clinic for his son. But his Fistula remained cured till date.

  • Well written artical . Single medicine works better than mixture , if you like you can alternate or try for more suitable medicine . Dont forget PYROGENUM . For wisdome tooth troubles calc c. or silecea work best (confirmed).

  • Dear Dr Robert Medhurst
    good article indeed but please tell me how much Phos 15C suggested for the substantial periodontal loss is successful? & is there any scientific evidence that after it, the loss can be regained?
    Please comment & give me your email ID as well for future reference & discussion.
    Thanks….Dr. Neeraj Gupta, New Delhi, India

    • Hi Dr Gupta
      Thanks very much for your interest in this article. In regard to your question on the use of Phos 15C, for this condition I normally suggest that the prescribing dentist ask the patient to use 1 dose daily for 2 weeks and re-examine the area at the end of that time. I have no scientific evidence for the usefulness of this practice but I have seen and heard of enough anecdotal evidence to continue to suggest this practice. I have to say though, that this method of using potentised substances for defined clinical conditions will, in untrained hands, often be inferior to the potential inherent in the action of the simillimum. But in the absence of that simillimum Phos 15C in this instance is worth considering.
      Regards
      Robert Medhurst

  • The article is worth reading for practitioners. I have been dealing with my patients for any type of toothache by prescribing Merc.sol30 and Arsenci alb 30 two times a day alternatively bothe the medicines. The success rate is more than seventy percent. ( Reference my book, ‘Oral Diseases’-B. Jain Publishers).
    Belladona is the soul of all medicines to cure pains as the author has suggested.
    Dr. Shiv Dua

  • On dental diseases I had come across few homoeopathic medicianal tips till now. But this article/paper has thrown more and detailed light on the subject. I find this is more useful. I regret to post this belated comment as now only I had time to go through it in detail. Tanq.

  • Thanks Dr. Robert for the answer to my query. I would appreciate if you can quote the anecdotal reference for my understanding. Also you would agree that in this era of scientificity we need to research in this grey area where allopaths don’t have an answer.
    Kindly suggest which company/ pharmacy makes Phos 15C Please mail me the address & the phone no.
    Regards. Dr. Neeraj Gupta, Delhi, India

  • I read about the experience of a person whose teeth cavity disappeared on using calc flour 6x while waiting for his dental appointment to fill his cavity as there was delay of a few weeks since the dentist was busy. Any explanations?
    Any similar cases?

    • I’ve seen the use of homeopathy lead to some truly remarkable things but this would be very remarkable indeed. It may be that the initial problem was misdiagnosed.

  • i would like to emphasize the importance of Hecla lava in some case of toothaches. It has never failed to relieve the pains and we can understand it due to the sphere of action on the mandibles.

  • Dear Dr Medhurst,
    nearly three years ago, the molar 26 (formerly ‘devitalized) cracked while eating. It had been reconstructed but after 18 months following an infection another root canal was necessary after which part of the tooth was lost. The dentist repaired the tooth with a composite onlay. Now 14 months later this tooth is aching again and the gum on which the tooth is based shows a dark line. The tooth seems to be more sensitive to heat than to cold. At times the pain radiates in the ear. I fear that this might be another infection, I was reading about a germ called bacteroides melaninogenicus. Whatever the black line surrounding the tooth is, is there any homeopathic remedy that can resolve it? Thank you.

  • Lovely article and I have taken notes on the subject here. One point, based on my experience, which I find many fail to mention – Silicea can throw off your RCT cap. Well, I believe, it did in my case. I was on 1M and it did happen !!! I had to go and get it done all over again.
    So, may be my incorrect analysis, but something I believe should not be cast out on a mere whim.

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