From our archives: Toothache and Homoeopathy
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 1997 May / Jun VOL 5 NO 3.
Compiled by
T K Kasiviswanathan
'Cham / Chin / Coff / Plat / Hyos / Pip-m

Homoeopathy has many remedies, which in the healthy state will produce toothache. Dr Boenninghausen, who was one of the brilliant Homoeoathic contemporaries of Dr Hahnemann, has given tips and cited several cases of toothache, which have been treated with Homoeopathic remedies. Some of the important cases cured by him and others are given below. He has presented clearly the differential diagnosis relating to the remedies. The modalities and concomitant symptoms have been clearly brought out in the description of the cases. 

TIPS
1. "After a cold produced by exposure to an easterly wind, a fever with great congestion towards the head frequently takes place, together with burning heat in the face, frequent and hard pulse and great agitation of body and mind. To these symptoms may be added, violent and throbbing toothache, chiefly on one side and occupying the whole jaw, with redness of the cheek. In such cases Aconite is the specific."
Dr Boenninghausen 

2. "Another kind of throbbing pain in teeth, produced very often by cold, but without fever, will be cured by Causticum. It is always accompanied by painful sensitivity, swelling and ready bleeding of the gums with dragging pains in the muscles of the face, in the eyes and ears. Dr. Boenninghausen writes " I myself was affected last winter for several days with this complaint, because I did not understand, from the absence of other principal symptoms, which was the right remedy to select. After employing many remedies without relief, I was cured in two hours by taking one dose of Causticum and from that time I have not suffered from a similar toothache. Toothache to which Causticum is appropriate is always of a chronic nature, Causticum having a long medicinal action; but remedies whose actions are limited to a short period will never affect this kind of toothache." 
Dr Boenninghausen 

3. Chamomilla is very useful in throbbing toothache affecting especially women and children. The ache is almost intolerable at night, and increase by the warmth of the bed thus causing despair to the patient, who runs about moaning. There is generally redness and swelling of one cheek; the hair is moist; there is a great thirst and swelling of submaxillary glands.

4. "Persons who are accustomed to suffering very often from a throbbing pain in the teeth are, after the nature of the accompanying symptoms almost always cured by Aconite, Chamomilla, Ignatia, Nux or Pulsatilla. Then in throbbing pain in persons who never take coffee, then too for such toothache the tincture of Coffea-cruda is the specific.
Dr Boenninghausen 

5. In several cases, Dr Boenninghauesn says he has used Sabina, a rarely used remedy for toothache. It is a specific in a kind of toothache which occurs in the evening and in the night and especially in females. Abundant discharge of light coloured blood not noticed even at the time of catamenia. In one case pain like gout in right toe was removed by external remedy and after that this kind of toothache appeared. After one dose of Sabina neither the toe pain nor the toothache returned as this remedy covered both the symptoms. 

6. A malady of more frequent occurrence is a chronic throbbing in the teeth, with shooting pain, for which Sepia is a specific. This kind of toothache occurs in persons of a yellowish complexion, and extends to the ears down the arms to the fingers with a tingling in the latter and is very often accompanied by difficulty in breathing, swelling of the cheeks, cough, and swelling of the submaxillary glands. This remedy is particularly indicated in pregnant women.

7. Spigelia is indicated for toothache when a kind of prosopalgia is always found with a stirring, griping and burning pain in the zygotic bone accompanied by paleness and swelling of the face. There is pain in the eyes with violent beating of the heart; there is frequent desire to urinate and there is copious urine and there is shivering. Dr Boenninghausen cured a robust woman who had these symptoms more particularly the toothache and prosopalgia which occurred almost twice every week. One dose of Spigelia cured her and these two symptoms never recurred.

8. Hyoscyamus is also indicated in a form of toothache. It appears generally in the morning and is almost always caused by a cold. There is throbbing in the tooth itself while in the gums a tearing sensation prevails and in masticating the tooth seems loose as if it would fall out. There is always a congestion to the head with great heat all over the body. In violent attacks there is a sense of strangulation with difficulty of deglutination and cramps with mental fatigue.

CASE 1
Some years ago, his wife was seized with a violent toothache of the kind just described. As Dr Boenninghausen was absent from home, another doctor gave her Aconite, at first in consequence of the feverish symptoms. As they were not diminished he gave her Pulsatilla, which did not produce the slightest effect. The third day Bryonia was administered. As it did not have any effect the doctor applied on the fourth day 18 leeches and a mixture which gave relief but only for 15 minutes. The same violent toothache returned and became unsufferable. On the fifth day Dr Boenninghausen returned and finding his wife suffering from severe toothache gave her Chamomilla after taking the case at 4'o clock. In one hour the pain ceased and swelling of the cheek disappeared. 

CASE 2
A young girl suffered from violent throbbing in the teeth, which increased chiefly after meals and at night and was slightly relieved by strong pressure and biting of the teeth, while a slight touch rendered the pains insufferable. She also had in the meantime continuous diarrhoea and profuse night sweats. Dr Boenninghausen gave her a dose of China and by the next morning she had no toothache and night sweat and for the first time she had a comfortable night 

CASE 3
His friend's wife whose family lived strictly by Homoeopathic diet and never took coffee was at Christmas time suffering from violent toothache. The pain was throbbing. The patient ran crying from one room to another complaining of insufferable pain. Her account was interrupted by crying. She behaved like a person distracted and hasty. As the last symptom was out of line with her character, Dr Boenninghausen gave her a dose of Coffea-cruda and within two minutes her throbbing stopped and the remaining sensibility of the affected part was relieved by Ignatia. She did not have any further attacks. 

CASE 4
In another case of throbbing in the teeth Platina was the remedy. The pain was like a pulsation digging through the whole right jaw, and it increased especially towards the evening and by rest which made the patient cry out involuntarily. Pulsatilla seemed indicated but it did not relieve. The accompanying symptoms were then ascertained. The throbbing was followed by numbness which affected the whole suffering part. In the meantime the menses was too early and abundant and she was of the late observed to be proud with conceit and contempt for all, which were never seen earlier. Here every Homoeopath would have given Platina which was given and it cured her in a few hours.
Dr Boenninghausen 

CASE 5
A young lady became very ill because she was jilted and forsaken by her lover. She complained of throbbing pain in her teeth especially after midnight; she had fever with great redness of face and long fits of delirium in which she tried to run away. The first dose of Hyocyamus cured her of her delirium and throbbing toothache and the second dose relieved her completely. 

CASE 6
A young girl of highly excitable and nervous temperament, who because of her actions harried her parents and demanded constant attention, suffered frequently from severe toothache and earache with sleeplessness. The pain was described as dragging, sometimes tearing and was worse at night in bed or after or when eating. Her mother gave the peculiar symptom "what is so vexing was that she forgets all about the pain if amused with anything and when tired of it, exclaims "Oh! My teeth of ear". She had another characteristic symptom "agonizing pain, with teasing, twisting and writhing; the patient was driven irresistibly to change position which generally gives little or no amelioration." These are the two keynotes of the remedy Piper methesticum and a few spoonful doses of the remedy in mother tincture cured her of the toothache. Dr Skinner who also cited another case where 500th potency was used with good effect.
Dr Skimer 

CASE 7
Dr Rushmore writes: "In the spring of 1881, I suffered for several days from a severe pain in the second bicuspid in the left upper jaw. Chamomilla relieved the pain for 24 hours and then had no effect. Several other remedies did no good. The pain was very severe at night, preventing sleep. I noticed that on getting out of the bed at night, the pain became less. Hoping that this would give a clue to my remedy I opened the repertory and found under toothache better from getting out of bed: Oleander, Sabina. Under Oleander proving I read 'constant toothache at night....... in the first Lt molar and at times in the next hollow tooth; this toothache immediately ceased on rising from the bed and reappeared as soon as he returned to the bed with anxiety as if he were to die, with frequent micurition, qualmishness and heart of left cheek'. Anxiety and qualmishness I had not but frequent micturition and heat of the Lt cheek were marked featured in my case. I put a few globules of Oleander 200 on the tongue, went back to bed and slept in a few minutes. On waking up in the morning there was no pain and it has not returned.' 

Sources:
1. Toothache - Dr Boenninghausen -The Indian Homoeopathic Journal, Feb 1950
2. Two cases of neuralgic toothache cured by Piper Methysticum
Dr. T. Skinner - The Homoeopathic Heritage May 1986
3. Clinical cases - E. Rushmore M.D. - Homoeopathic Heritage Nov 1986