Tooth with arsenic: why is it placed and how long to walk with it?

Temporary fillings in dentistry are used for a variety of purposes, but mainly at intermediate stages of root canal treatment, as well as dental prosthetics.

In this article we will focus on root canal treatment and the use of temporary fillings with all known arsenic.

It is worth noting that the use of arsenic, as such, is becoming rare in modern dentistry. Since this material itself is extremely toxic and its improper use can cause great harm. Today, arsenic-free pastes that are used for the same purpose as arsenic are more relevant.

Is it possible to put arsenic in a tooth?

Arsenic is a chemical element that belongs to immunotoxic substances, that is, poisons.
It disrupts the exchange of selenium, sulfur and phosphorus in tissues, which leads to a lack of oxygen, hypoxia and, as a result, cell death. In dentistry, it is not pure arsenic that is used, but a paste with arsenous acid anhydride in combination with various anesthetic and antiseptic components. Below, by arsenic we will mean a paste, and not a pure chemical element.

The toxin was first used for dental treatment in 1836. Nowadays, treatment methods have changed significantly, but in some cases dentists still use acid.

In the article Stom-Firms.ru we will tell you why arsenic is placed in the tooth during treatment. We will describe how and for how long it is placed, and also list the complications that may arise.

When is a child's dental nerve removed?

The main indication for removing a nerve in a child’s tooth is pulpitis.
The disease is characterized by inflammation of the pulp, in the tissues of which there are vessels and the nerve itself. Pulpitis is accompanied by severe pain, deterioration of general condition and weakened immunity. There are risks of inflammation spreading and complications developing. Nerve inflammation is a complication of deep caries. Microbes that penetrate the dentin gradually infect the pulp, resulting in pulpitis. If treatment is not carried out in a timely manner, the pathological process begins to progress, gradually spreading to the soft tissues, and then to the jaw bone.

Removal of the nerve of baby teeth is not carried out only if the child has already begun the process of changing teeth, and a permanent tooth is growing in the coming months. An x-ray is taken to determine the prognosis. For such indications, tooth extraction is performed, since there is no risk of bite displacement.

Indications and contraindications for the use of arsenic

Arsenic acid is used for devitalization, that is, killing the dental pulp in order to then partially or completely remove it. Before the development of anesthesia, this was the only way in which it was possible to remove a tooth relatively painlessly, cure pulpitis and some other dental diseases.

Now the pulp is removed under local anesthesia and using drugs without arsenic. But there are indications according to which he is still placed. These include:

Acute diffuse or chronic fibrous pulpitis;
Chronic hypertrophic pulpitis in teeth with impassable and curved canals;
Allergy to local anesthetics;
Severe general condition, for example, after a heart attack or stroke;
Inability to open the mouth wide due to contraction of the lower jaw.

Dentists emphasize that arsenic is not an alternative to pulp removal with anesthesia. The toxin is used as a last resort when the patient has indications for it.

Arsenic should not be placed in the dental cavity if:

Allergies to paste components;
Pregnancy and lactation;
Increased eye pressure;
Diseases of the urinary system;
Unformed roots.

In pediatric dentistry, arsenic should not be administered to children under 1.5 years of age. But today, paste with arsenic acid is practically not used to treat pulpitis in a child. Pulp devitalization is carried out with other drugs.

Tooth removal

Depulpation (depulpation of a tooth) is the removal of pulp, connective tissue consisting of blood vessels and nerve endings. Removing the tooth nerve and cleaning the canals is designed to relieve the patient from pain, inflammation and further complications. However, the tooth, having lost its blood supply, becomes dead and, therefore, more fragile.

Dental treatment and nerve removal is one of the most common dental procedures. This is partly because patients turn to the dentist only in case of unbearable pain, when it is no longer possible to do without depulpation. Removing the nerve of the tooth and filling the canals allows you to preserve the natural tooth, which is a priority for endodontic treatment.

Indications for depulpation:

extensive caries
classic pulpitis and infectious pulpitis (bacteria penetrate through the root apex)
trauma and damage to the tooth affecting the pulp
if it is necessary to install crowns or classic bridges

Many patients who come to the dentist's office with toothache are interested in the question: is it possible to save the pulp? Today, there are methods of biological treatment (preservation of the entire pulp) and vital amputation (preservation of the root pulp), but many favorable factors must converge for them to be carried out. For example, biological treatment is not carried out after 25 years.

How to put arsenic in a tooth

Depending on the age of the patient, the condition of the pulp and the size of the tooth, the doctor determines how much paste is needed. Typically, its amount varies from 0.0002 to 0.0004 mg.

Let us describe the stages of the procedure:

The dentist uses an excavator to remove food debris, damaged tissue and thinned dentin from the carious cavity;
A ball-shaped paste is placed on the pulp horn and covered with a bandage;
Hermetically seals the cavity with a temporary filling.

Sometimes doctors put the paste on the unopened pulp. Then, after the procedure, the tooth may be very painful, especially when pressed, because swelling occurs and pressure in the tissues increases.

Usually, adults put arsenic in single-rooted teeth for 24 hours, in multi-rooted teeth for 2 days, but this period can increase to 6 days depending on the manufacturer and brand of the drug. Then the patient comes back for an appointment, and his pulpitis is treated in the traditional way: the temporary filling is removed, the cavity is prepared, the pulp is removed or amputated, the canals are processed and sealed.

Consequences of nerve removal

In the first 1–2 days after treatment, the tooth may hurt, but the intensity of the pain gradually decreases. To alleviate the condition, you can take analgesics recommended by a specialist. There are no other consequences of nerve removal.

Since pulpitis is most often caused by caries, during the treatment process the dentist removes the affected crown tissue. Restoring the integrity of the tooth is performed after removing the temporary filling. For correction, a filling material that does not contain toxic substances is used. In some cases, when the area of the carious cavity is too large and there is a risk of the filling falling out, it is recommended to install prostheses (stump or artificial crown.

Many parents mistakenly believe that depulpation implies the absence of a nerve in a permanent tooth. However, this is not at all true. Temporary and permanent teeth have separate systems and tissues that are not interconnected.

Martinka Children's and Adolescent Dentistry treats pulpitis by removing the nerve. Timely and correctly performed removal of the nerve of a baby tooth has no consequences. The integrity of the tooth is restored, and its functionality is preserved.

What to do if complications arise when using arsenic

If the doctor correctly selected the dosage and hermetically installed the temporary filling, and the patient came for a follow-up appointment on time, there will be no complications after using the paste. They occur if the therapist used too much of the substance, did not install the filling tightly and it fell out, or when the patient missed the deadline for taking it and walks with arsenic longer than expected.

The most common complications include:

Burn of the mucous membrane, for example, gums;
Necrosis of surrounding tissues and pulp of adjacent teeth;
Arsenic periodontitis and periodontitis;
Osteonecrosis is the destruction of jaw bone cells.

If arsenic falls out, the patient has a headache, feels sick and vomits, contact the clinic immediately. When the poison enters the body, the doctor administers an antidote. In case of damage to the mucous membrane, treat the affected area with antiseptics and drugs that block the spread of the toxin and accelerate tissue epithelization.

In modern dentistry, to avoid overdose, the paste is produced in special granules. The main thing that doctors urge is not to overexpose arsenic: keep it for as long as you are prescribed to walk with it. Then the risk of complications becomes minimal.

Further recommendations

When arsenic is present, the following rules must be followed:

It is not recommended to use painkillers.
Do not try to heat the tooth, even if it hurts. Such measures can lead to complications.
For three hours after the temporary filling is installed, try to refrain from eating and drinking.
Do not rinse your mouth.

If the doctor claims that it is necessary to resort to the removal of the dental nerve, there is no need to panic or refuse this procedure. If this is not done in a timely manner,
the tooth
removed completely. Even after depulpation, the tooth will last for many years.

How harmful is it?

Arsenic is a poison, but in dentistry it is used in very small doses and is not dangerous when used correctly. The instructions for use state that the maximum dose should not exceed 0.0008 g.

The main tasks are to take precautions, inject the drug into the tooth pulp without introducing dirt, and monitor the health and the body’s reaction to the substance.

If arsenic begins to kill healthy tissue, then even after its removal some of the paste will remain, later leading to inflammation.

Why does pain occur?

Immediately after applying the substance, the tooth may hurt for several hours in a row.

Immediately after applying the substance, the tooth may hurt for several hours in a row. This is a normal situation in which there is no need to panic. After time, the pain will subside.

In the first days after the substance is installed, there is a possibility of pain. This is a consequence of the effect of arsenic on the tooth root.

The paste usually contains anesthetic substances - lidocaine, novocaine or dicaine. They guarantee pain reduction, making the process of nerve death painless.

But in special cases, unpleasant sensations may persist (due to increased sensitivity of the body or incorrect installation). If the pain persists, then perhaps the doctor prescribed an insufficient dose of anesthetic.

As soon as the nerve is killed, the pain will disappear. After this period, you can go to the doctor and carry out further treatment.

However, if pain persists after this, this indicates that the necrosis process has affected the jaw bones. Consult your doctor - the drug may need to be removed immediately.

Why did the temperature rise?

The doctor, having established arsenic, in addition to pain relief, advises the patient to purchase antipyretic drugs in case the body temperature rises during the period of root necrosis.

If the doctor made a mistake during installation and installed the filling too tightly, then drug-induced inflammation may occur, accompanied by:

The appearance of edema.
Temperature increase.
Increasing pain.

This leads to the formation of an abscess on the gums. The affected area should be immediately shown to a specialist.

Why does a temporary filling fall out?

While the temporary filling is in place, change your diet and eat exclusively soft foods that will not lead to cracks or breaks.

The temporary filling must be intact during the period of nerve killing.

It ensures the tightness of the internal cavity of the tooth, preventing the drug from entering the oral cavity.

Otherwise, there is a risk of the aggressive substance coming into contact with healthy tissues, or food getting into the affected area.

To do this, the doctor advises, while the temporary filling is in place, to change your diet and eat exclusively soft foods that will not lead to the appearance of cracks or breaks.

But the hardness of the filling also depends on the materials used - if high-quality materials are used, the patient is allowed to eat on both sides, practically without limiting himself in food.

However, the temporary filling should not be too dense either - otherwise it will put strong pressure on the tooth pulp.

This, by the way, is another factor in the appearance of pain. In this case, if there is pain, the patient will not be able to remove it on his own and will have to go to the dentist.

Modern analogues of the drug

Many people are interested in the question of what is now being put into the tooth instead of arsenic. Currently, toxic compounds are being replaced with agents with less toxic effects. Among them is depulpin, which is based on paraformaldehyde.

It also contains an anesthetic that numbs the area. The medicine is left in the tooth cavity for 7 to 10 days in children, up to 2 weeks in adults.

Only the attending physician will answer how long you need to keep the product. Modern substitutes for toxic compounds can also cause harm if used incorrectly.

Dental health

To see how arsenic is applied to a tooth, a video has been added to the article, which indicates the harm and benefits of the procedure.

Today, there is still a high risk of error when using toxic compounds to remove a nerve. A person should know what will happen if arsenic is left in a tooth, strictly follow the doctor’s recommendations and come on time to remove the temporary filling. Minimum doses will not cause harm to health and will help get rid of the problem faster.

How to remove toothpaste from your mouth yourself

No doctor will recommend removing the medicine at home, but sometimes you have to do it without the help of a specialist if a temporary filling falls out at an unexpected moment. Also, if the treatment period has expired and the patient has not visited the doctor, you can try to remove the substance. You need to know how to remove arsenic from a tooth yourself and not harm the patient’s health.

A person’s hands must be clean and treated with an antiseptic.
Rinse your mouth with water and brush your teeth to remove any remaining food.
For the procedure, you will need a sterile needle, which is disinfected with medical alcohol or vodka.
In front of the mirror, determine the grayish paste on the damaged area where the filling fell out.
Using a disinfected needle, remove the paste from the cavity and prevent it from being swallowed. You need to act carefully so as not to puncture the gum.
Next, rinse your mouth with soda or herbal solution several times.
If arsenic falls out, place a cotton pad in the vacated area to prevent small food particles from penetrating into it.

Medicinal paste, when used for a long time, can corrode gum tissue and bones, so it is better to remove the substance yourself than to leave it there and not go to the doctor.

Important! You should consult a specialist as soon as possible after the procedure, because the nerve may become inflamed and the tooth will further deteriorate.

Depulpin in dentistry