The dental experience involves a great many factors for the fearful patient. We can think of the antiseptic smell upon entering the reception room. The whine of the dental drill can really separate the men from the boys. He is surrounded by uniformed people coming at him with foreign objects to violate that important psychological space, the mouth..
Gelsemium is the number one remedy for fear of the dentist. A dose taken the morning of the procedure, is sufficient to turn the dentist into a friend rather than the invader with the painful tools.
Many patients fear especially the Root canal procedure. This acute situation can happen to any of us, but there are certain methods to stack the cards in favor of the patient. The most obvious is to be a regular patient and have small problems taken care of before they become emergency situations, so the need for a root canal probably never arises.
A root canal simply cleans and shapes the hollow center of a tooth, which is normally filled with blood, nerve and lymph tissue called the pulp. This tissue can be damaged by trauma such as a blow to the mouth, or deep decay can cause bacterial infection inside the tooth. As part of the root canal, a special filling is placed in this hollow center to prevent further infection. The best way to prevent the need for a root canal is through hygiene to protect against early caries or tooth decay.
Homeopathy can help strengthen teeth to prevent decay: the tissue salt Calc. phos. 6x will strengthen teeth just as it can strengthen bones weakened by osteoporosis.
Once an infection arises, it’s too late to self-medicate to cure the infection; you will need to see your dentist for the abscess. But homeopathy can certainly help with the pain.
Chamomilla is an excellent remedy for the oversensitive patient who fears pain in general and faints or screams at the thought of pain; it is especially good for children and nervous patients. The pain is pulsating, jerking or drawing and feels worse from cold, from a draft, from drinking coffee or other hot drinks, from chewing, from pressure, and from the warmth of the bed or the room.
Merc. sol. is good for drawing, pressing, tearing pain, worse at night, from cold air, in bed, from damp weather, and during eating. It goes with involuntary flow of saliva and swelling of the face, abscess of the roots of the teeth, and nasal discharge.
For pain in the teeth after a filling, by far the most popular remedy is Arnica. The pain has a sensation of pulling in the teeth while eating, is worse from chewing, and a typical bruised, sore feeling, worse from being touched. Another valuable remedy is Hypericum, which has a typical drawing, electrical, tearing nerve pain, worse at night and when the person moves.
You can routinely take Arnica after a tooth filling to save a lot of trouble. The patient himself should always take a dose of Calendula ahead of time when extensive surgery is needed or if the patient is a slow healer.
Excerpt from Dentistry and Teeth: The Real Tooth Fairy: A Homeopathic Remedy! by Dr.Luc
