Gaping gums

Exposure of the roots of the teeth, often associated swelling, bleeding, putrefaction, etc. Gaping gums are usually caused by stomach channel heat accumulation, but especially in the elderly it may result from insufficiency of kidney qì.

Biomedical correspondence: periodontitis; gingival atrophy.

Patterns

Stomach channel heat accumulation: (胃经积热 wèi jīng jī rè) When gaping gums is due to stomach heat, they start with swelling of the gums, and as the roots of the teeth become exposed, the gums may bleed, putrefy and suppurate. Associated signs include bad breath, thirst, desire for cool drinks, constipation, slippery rapid pulse, and a thick yellow tongue fur.

Medicinal therapy: Stomach heat patterns are treated by clearing the stomach and draining fire with formulas such as Stomach-Clearing Powder (清胃散 qīng wèi sǎn) or Jade Lady Brew (玉女煎 yù nǚ jiān).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on ST and LI. Select ST-44 (Inner Court, 内庭 nèi tíng), LI-4 (Union Valley, 合谷 hé gǔ), LI-11 (Pool at the Bend, 曲池 qū chí), and SP-10 (Sea of Blood, 血海 xuè hǎi), needling with drainage. Also bleed the gums between the teeth.

Insufficiency of kidney qì (肾阴不足 shèn yīn bù zú): When due to insufficiency of kidney qì, gaping gums usually appear after loosening of the teeth.

Medicinal therapy: Insufficiency of kidney qì is treated by banking up the kidney origin with variations of Six-Ingredient Rehmannia Pill (六味地黄丸 liù wèi dì huáng wán).

Acumoxatherapy: Base treatment mainly on KI and LI. Select BL-23 (Kidney Transport, 肾俞 shèn shù), KI-3 (Great Ravine, 太溪 tài xī), CV-4 (Pass Head, 关元 guān yuán), and LI-11 (Pool at the Bend, 曲池 qū chí); needle with supplementation and moxa.

See gum.

Etymology

Chin 牙 yá, tooth, teeth; 宣 xuān, announce, disclose, reveal, spread abroad, gape.