ViewPoint : Dental Probe Magazine : October 2012
Author: Sue Farrer BDS DPDS MFHom Dent BSc Hom
A Homeopathic Answer to Post Operative Inflammation
Despite our noblest intentions, dental treatment can at times prove to be very
uncomfortable and a familiar question springing from a patient’s lips will be “Is this
going to hurt?”.Post-operative inflammation is a direct result of the treatment process
and should be discussed as part of your patients expectations and treatment
outcome. Injured tissues eg extraction sockets, implant sites, periodontal pockets,
instrumentation of root canal apices, release endotoxins into the connective tissue,
impregnate at cellular level inducing further degenerative changes, which thereby
delays the healing process. Physical trauma induces psychological changes via the
gut-brain axis, which also releases endorphins and can have a deleterious long term
effect.
Conventional prescription includes anti-inflammatory drugs eg NSAIDs which
suppress the post-operative inflammatory response by inhibiting the end of the
inflammatory cytokine cascade. However, not all patients can tolerate NSAIDs ie
those with a history of IBS or asthma, so to have a natural alternative eg Traumeel in
the dental armamentarium certainly promotes patient choice and goodwill.
Traumeel is a homotoxicological Heel medicine containing fourteen remedies in low
potencies and has been designed to down- regulate inflammation so that symptom
relief and detoxification can be achieved simultaneously. The active ingredients in
liquid form are: Calendula officinalis, Hamamelis virginiana, Arnica Montana,
Aconitum napellus, Achillea millefolium, Atropa Belladonna, Bellis perennis,
Chamomilla recutita, Echinacea angustifolia, Echinacea purpura, Hypericum
perforatum, Mercurius solubilis Hahnemanni, Hepar sulphuris calcareum,
Symphytum officinale all in an ethanol base. Those components which belong to the
Asteracea family, contain Helenanin, a sesquiterpene lactone, that strongly inhibits
NF-kapha beta cytokines in the down - regulation process. See Fig 1
Fig 1
Unusually, Traumeel has been scrutinised by conventional research and found to
have a completely different mode of action to allopathic medication by intervening at
the beginning of the cytokine cascade by blocking COX enzymes, which reduce proinflammatory prostaglandins, thus affecting cortisol production.¹ Another main
immunological bystander action of Traumeel is to stimulate TH3 regulating cells to
release TGF beta, which in turn inhibits pro- inflammatory TH1 and TH2 cells.² The
overall effect is to promote a quicker healing response with no long term
complications.
Traumeel is produced in liquid drops, tablets, ampoules for injection and ointment
format. Liquids can be quickly dispensed by members of the dental team at chairside
during a dental procedure, tablets can be dispensed to a patient on leaving the
surgery with post-operative instructions and the ointment is very useful for any
external bruising. Deep scaling procedures, periodontitis and suppurative periodontal
pockets can all benefit from the subcutaneous injection of Traumeel. Implant surgery
certainly provides an example where Traumeel supplements promote rapid postoperative recovery and pain relief is much reduced. Side effects are very rare and
are likely to be associated with a patient hypersensitivity to the Compositae family
inducing an allergy type response.
This remarkable homeopathic product is marketed throughout the EU, has
recognition with German, Italian and Canadian Sports Boards due to its drug free
doping test characteristics. So why not use Traumeel for your patients wellbeing?
References:
1. Porozov S et al, Inhibition of IL-1 and TNF-secretion from resting and
activated human immunocytes by the homeopathic medication Traumeel S;
Clin.Dev Immunol 2004,11(2):143-9
2. Heine H and Schmolz M, Induction of the immunological bystander reaction
by plant extracts;Biomedical Therapy 1998,XV1 (3):224-6