The Treatment of Oral Problems with Chinese Herbal Medicine and Acupuncture: A Classical Approach

This article describes the Chinese medical treatment of various oral problems - including the adjacent structures of the jaws and sinuses – through application of the classical perspective contained in Huang Yuan-yu’s Si Sheng Xin Yuan (The Original Spirit of the Four Sages). We will review the main morphological structures of the oral field and the key pathological processes that can affect them - both in biomedical terms and through the lens of Chinese medicine – to then analyse the two formulas Huang Qin Shi Gao Tang (Scutellaria and Talcum Decoction) and Chai Hu Tao Ren Tang (Blupleurum and Peach Pit Decoction) in terms of their specific application to oral health. Modifications to the formulas and acupuncture strategies are also given. The article includes two clinical case examples.