Homeopathy has been used as an Alternative medicine in Dental treatments playing a supporting role to traditional Dental Treatments. Homeopathy has been associated with wound healing and is known to reduce the time for healing drastically after Tooth Extraction. Two of the main or most commonly used ingredients in Homeopathy are Arnica montana and Hypericum Perforatum. There are two main complimentary roles which Homeopathy plays in Dentistry – Pain relief and faster healing.
In general Hypericum has been prescribed to relieve patients of acute pain or what is described as sharp, shooting or hot pain from the particular region. The same can be applied for Dental pain as well, as Arnica and Hypericum are known to have analgesic and anti inflammatory properties it has been recommended for tooth pain, post operative care (extraction of tooth or surgery), toothache, facial trauma or Denture Stomatitis.
Due to its properties of calming the nerves, it has also been used in herbal form for Depression and Anxiety and has received good response. Hypericum is also know to have a neurotransmitter inhibitory profile, and potential anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects suggesting a role for pain management. According to a study, the use of Hypericum perforatum has been found to relieve a patient completely of their symptoms related to Trigeminal Neuralgia which can be attributed to its neurotransmitter inhibitory action and anti inflammatory properties.
Other Applications of Homeopathy in Dentistry:
Note: Homeopathy Medicines in combination with desired Dental treatment and not on their own. Homeopathy medicine helps in aiding or accelerating the Healing after Dental treatments.
Dental Phobia or Dental Anxiety:
With Homeopathy the patients fear of visiting a Dentist or getting Dental Treatments done can be reduced to a large extent. It is found that with the use of Aconite (potency 12C) and Gelsmium (potency 12C) which have been found to reduce Anxiety in patients. It has also been found to be beneficial in Children by making them relaxed and more cooperative and responsive.
Toothache due to Inflammation:
Different substances should be used in different stages of the tooth infection or Abscess – Hepar Sulphuris (Potency 6C) for early Abscess, Belladona (Potency 6C) for Acute dental abscess with inflammation, pain and redness of gums, Silicea is used to hasten the pus discharge while draining an abscess.
Commercially sold Homeopathic Medicine for Toothache consists of the following ingredients: Chamomilla, Coffea cruda, Hepar sulphuris calcareum, Mercurius solubilis, Plantago major (30C potencies).
Sudden and severe Toothache after lying down: Aranea diadema
Toothache which increases on exposure to Hot or Cold: Calcarea Carbonica
Toothache which increases with heat and relieved with cold: Chamomilla and Coffea cruda
Healing After Tooth Extraction or Implant Placement or any Surgery:
Staphysagria has been found to help incision type soft tissue wounds to heal faster. Hypericum is suggested in Nerve Injury. Chamomilla is used 1 hour prior to Dental appointments in patients with low pain threshold.
Injection Trauma:
Most painful injections in Dental practice are Palatal, Incisive Foramen and Inferior alveolar Nerve block. The use of Ledum (Potency 30C) and Apis mellifica has been found to reduce post Injection trauma in such patients.
De-anesthetizing after LA Block:
The use of Chamomilla (Potency 12C) has been found useful to accelerate the action of LA agent and reduce numbness faster to prevent Lip biting or cheek biting in children or adults as well.
Exfoliation of Root Pieces:
In certain cases of tooth extraction where Root pieces are left after surgery, the use of Staphysagria (Potency 30C) has been found to exfoliate the root piece faster.
Teething in Children:
Use of Chamomilla (Potency 15C) in delayed Eruption has been found to accelerate Eruption. To help in pain during tooth Eruption in children, Hypericum (Potency 9C) has been found to be useful. Calcarea carbonica is used in delayed eruption cases.
Bad Breath:
Use of Carboveg (potency 30C) in combination with Merc Sol (Potency 30C) twice daily.
Oral Ulcers: For relief in fever blisters, cold sores, ulcers at the corner of the lips or mouth and cracked lips – Natrum muriaticum can be used. For ulcers which bleed easily on touch, use of Nitricum acidum was found to be useful.
Salivation: Excess Salivation or Dry Mouth
In case of Excess Salivation during Night – Baryta carbonica is used. For Dry Mouth or reduced saliva production – Bryonia alba has been found to help in initiating Saliva production.
Case Reports: Dr. Sri Vidya (Dentist from India) has personally used Hypericum Perforatum in liquid or Gel form in ‘Post Extraction” and “Post Implant placement” to achieve faster soft tissue healing at the surgical site. She has found that the healing time taken has decreased drastically as compared to the normal time taken for the socket to close and bone formation to begin. On applying the gel / solution on the Extraction site or Implant site, it was found to improve the healing and fasten the healing process exponentially.
References:
Homeopathy and its ethical use in dentistry: British dental
journal 210, 299-301(2011)
Homeopathy in Dentistry – An Overview, International
Contemporary Dental Journal, March 2011 2 (2)
Hypericum perforatum for pain in Dental Practice
Hypericum perforatum for Trigeminal Neuralgia
Scope of homeopathy in dentistry, Homeopathic journal:
volume 5, Issue 3, Jan 2012.
Homeopathy – A future perspective in dentistry: Hpathy
Ezine, June, 2010.
