Many other herbs, roots, and seeds, are recommended for curing the tooth-ach; as the leaves of roots of millefoil or yarrow chewed, tobacco smoked or chewed, staves-acre, or the seeds of mustard chewed, &c. These bitter, hot, and pungent things, by occasioning a greater flow of _saliva_, frequently give ease in the tooth-ach. Opiates often relieve the tooth-ach. For this purpose a little cotton wet with laudanum may be held between the teeth; or a piece of sticking-plaster, about the bigness of a shilling, with a bit of opium in the middle of it, of a size not to prevent the sticking of the other, may be laid on the temporal artery, where the pulsation is most sensible. _De la Motte_ affirms, that there are few cases wherein this will not give relief. If there be a hollow tooth, a small pill made of equal parts of camphire and opium, put into the hollow, is often beneficial. When this cannot be had, the hollow tooth may be filled with gum mastich, wax, lead, or any substance that will stick in it, and keep out the external air. Few applications give more relief in the tooth-ach than blistering-plasters. These may be applied between the shoulders; but they have the best effect when put behind the ears, and made so large as to cover a great part of the lower jaw. After all, when a tooth is carious, it is often impossible to remove the pain without extracting it; and, as a spoilt tooth never becomes sound again, it is prudent to draw it soon, lest it should affect the rest. Tooth-drawing, like bleeding, is very much practiced by mechanics, as well as persons of the medical profession. The operation however is not without danger, and ought always to be performed with care. A person unacquainted with the structure of the parts will be in danger of hurting the jaw-bone, or of drawing a sound tooth instead of a rotten one[132]. When the tooth-ach returns periodically, and the pain chiefly affects the gums, it may be cured by the bark. Some pretend to have found great benefit in the tooth-ach, from the application of an artificial magnet to the affected tooth. We shall not attempt to account for its mode of operation; but, if it be found to answer, though only in particular cases, it certainly deserves a trial, as it is attended with no expence, and cannot do any harm. Electricity has likewise been recommended, and particular instruments have been invented for sending a shock through the affected tooth. Persons who have returns of the tooth-ach at certain seasons, as spring and autumn, might often prevent it by taking a purge at these times. Keeping the teeth clean has no doubt a tendency to prevent the tooth-ach. The best method of doing this is to wash them daily with salt and water, a decoction of the bark, or with cold water alone. All brushing and scraping of the teeth is dangerous, and, unless it be performed with great care, does mischief. OF THE EAR-ACH.