De dentium affectibus

they fall under the senses by themselves, we do not examine too scrupulously. But in the investigation of the internal cause of tooth pain, from which the defluxion immediately emanates, the accurate consideration of signs contributes a great deal. For inflammation, by reason of redness, heat, and tumor, which it almost always has combined, cannot be easily distinguished from that other affection, to which a watery, salty, or sharp humor slipped down from the parts above has given occasion: although also the vehemence of the pain distinguishes both not obscurely.

XXXIV.
Wherefore, these things having been premised, we come opportunely to the CURE (which is now the therapeutic part): the scope or indication of which, sought from the nature of the matter, is threefold: namely, vital, preservative, and curative.

XXXV.
The vital indication has a place when this symptom, pain, on account of its vehemence and enormity, so afflicts and prostrates the strengths that it undergoes the reason of an urgent necessity. Then, therefore, first encountering it, we apply anodyna pain-relieving remedies, which all possess a certain temperament tending moderately toward heat, or if the pain does not yield to these, one must ascend to narcotics.

XXXVI.
The administration of these aids is various; for they are either moved to the teeth and imposed upon the cavities, especially the more valid ones such as opium, or they are applied externally to their roots, such as fresh theriaca a traditional medicinal treacle/antidote, or even the mouth itself is washed with them, such as with milk, oil, wine, and similar things. Sometimes they are applied to the cheeks outside the amplitude of the mouth for the sake of diversion, to which category also suffumigia fumes/fumigations belong.

XXXVII.
The preservative indication respects the cause first, which is either external or internal, or antecedent.