Adhimamsa Gum Disorder Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

By Dr Raghuram Y.S. MD (Ay) & Dr Manasa, B.A.M.S
Adhimamsa is a condition explained in the context of ‘dantamula gata roga’ i.e. diseases of gums or alveolar processes. There is yet another condition named as Vardhana which also has been explained in the same context and also resembles adhimamsa in its clinical presentation. But both are different conditions.
Adhimamsa = adhi means extra, mamsa means flesh or muscle
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Causes

Excessive exposure or consumption of kapha aggravating factors including foods and activities

Pathogenesis

Kapha getting aggravated in excess following the consumption of etiological factors leading to aggravation of kapha gets lodged in the lower jaw and causes a disorder pertaining to the gums in this region. This disease is called adhimamsa. The aggravated kapha causes swelling near the molar tooth of the lower jaw.

• Excessive consumption / exposure to of kapha aggravating factors (foods, activities)
• Aggravation of kapha
• Aggravated kapha gets lodged in the lower jaw, especially near the molar tooth of the lower jaw
• Swelling and severe pain around the above mentioned regions and excessive salivation
• Adhimamsa gum disorder
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Symptoms

• Mahan Shotha Hanavye Paschime Dante – Big / severe swelling around the molar tooth of the lower jaw is caused by aggravated kapha.
• Maharuja – severe pain around the swelling in the vicinity of lower molars
• Lala sravi – excessive salivation
  Read – Gum Boils – Causes, Symptoms, Ayurvedic Treatment (Danta Pupputa)

Treatment

Chedana – swelling is excised with sharp and sterile instrument, like a scalpel.
Pratisarana – region of the swelling shall be rubbed with the powder of the below mentioned herbs –

• Vacha – Acorus calamus
• Tejovati – Zanthoxylum armatum
• Patha – Cissampelos pariera
• Swarjika / sarja kshara – alkali of Vateria indica
• Yava shukaja / yava kshara – alkali extracted from the whole plant of barley
• Honey

The powder of vacha etc is mixed with honey and rubbed against the swelling. Since pratisarana has been mentioned after chedana, we can consider the treatments as sequential i.e. the medicinal powder mixed in honey shall be rubbed after having excised the swelling.
Read – Ranula (Upajihwika) Oral Disorder – Symptoms, Ayurvedic Treatment

Kavala Dharana – Decoction is prepared with powder of Vacha etc herbs mentioned in the pratisarana. This decoction is mixed with honey and powder of Pippali. This is used for rinsing the mouth or used as gargle.
Dhavana / Prakshalana – Lesion inside the mouth shall be washed with Patoladi Kwatha i.e. the decoction prepared with the below mentioned herbs –

• Patola – Pointed gourd – Trichosanthes dioica
• Triphala – Terminalia chebula, Terminalia bellirica and Emblica officinalis
• Neem – Azadirachta indica

Shirovirechana – head purging – Powder of herbs which can cleanse and purge the morbid doshas in the head shall be used as snuff or the powder blown into the nose.
Vairechanika Dhuma – Inhalation of smoke emitted by burning the herbs which cause purging of doshas from the head is administered.
Read – Dhumapana Vidhi Adhyaya Ashtanga Hridaya Sutrasthana 21

Sanskrit Verses

Read – Ayurvedic Remedies and Treatment for Dental Plaque And Tartar

Modern correlation

This condition has been compared to ‘impacted wisdom tooth’.

Adhimansa and Vardhana

Differences between adhimamsa and vardhana gum disorders
While adhimamsa is caused by aggravated kapha, vardhana is caused by aggravated vata.
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