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Whenever bleeding occurs from the interdental spaces, simply grind together calcined salt (Yan, Salt) and soot from the chimney flue (Zaotu Mo, Chimney Soot) into a uniform powder. Apply this to brush the teeth and rinse the mouth before going to bed; it is effective.
Salt overcomes blood (in TCM theory, the salty flavor enters the Kidney channel; Water overcomes Fire, and Blood belongs to Fire, hence Salt overcomes Blood); therefore, calcined salt is used. Blood stops flowing when it encounters blackness; therefore, the black soot from the flue is used.

Caowu (Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix), Bibo (Long Pepper Fruit), each half tael; Chuanjiao (Sichuan Pepper), Xixin (Asarum Root), each two taels.
The *Ben Shi Fang* records: Grind these four ingredients together into a fine powder. Use a small amount each time, apply it to the inner and outer surfaces of the affected tooth using an acupuncture needle. After repeating this several times, the tooth will naturally loosen and become easy to extract.

The *Ben Shi Fang* records: A scholar returned home at night. His wife was sleeping soundly. He shook her awake. When she asked what was wrong, he did not answer. He shook her again. Startled, she looked at him and found her tongue swollen, filling her entire mouth, rendering her unable to speak. They urgently sought a doctor and met an old man who arrived carrying a medicine bag. He applied powdered medicine to the tongue, and by dawn, it had returned to normal. Upon inquiry, the medicine used was merely Puhuang (Lygodii Spora). I hold that the *Neijing* states: "Excessive heat leads to swelling." This must be due to the fire of the Heart and Spleen merging in the tongue, causing it to swell and fill the mouth. Puhuang is cold in nature and can...

The *Liang Fang* records: A scholar suddenly experienced bleeding from his tongue, with small holes remaining. The physician did not understand the disease. He roasted Sophora flower (Huaihua, Sophorae Flos) until charred, ground it into powder, and applied it to the lesion, resulting in a cure. I maintain that all manifestations of bleeding are heat syndromes. Huaihua can treat heat within the blood, which is why the patient recovered.

Heat syndromes often present with protrusion of the tongue. In cases where the tongue cannot retract after recovery, applying a small amount of Bingpian (Borneol) as a powder on the tongue allows it to retract. The reason for tongue protrusion is excessive internal heat, leading to an attempt to vent qi by sticking out the tongue. The reason for inability to retract is that pathogenic factors have resided for a long time, causing the tongue to become stiff and inflexible. Bingpian has a pungent and hot taste with a clear fragrance. It can open orifices, soften sinews, and vent heat. Therefore, upon its use, the tongue retracts.

There was a case where a person's tongue was swollen and protruding outside the gate, and no one dared to treat it. A villager said, "I happen to have this medicine." He retrieved it, which consisted of two paper twists. Lit with a lamp, the smoke was used to fumigate the area, and the swelling immediately subsided. When asked about the prescription, the villager said, "My family once had an ox whose tongue was also swollen and protruding outside the gate. Someone taught us to dip paper in castor oil, make it into a twist, burn it to produce smoke, and fumigate the area, which cured the ox. Thus, using it on humans also proved effective." I hold that tongue swelling protruding outside the gate corresponds to the classic saying: "Excessive heat leads to swelling." However, the tongue is the sprout of the Heart, and the meridians of the Spleen connect to the root of the tongue and spread beneath it. The heat should be attributed to the Heart and Spleen meridians. The *Bencao* records: Castor seed treats edema and foul qi; apply the oil topically. Castor leaf treats wind-induced swelling and numbness; crush and apply the juice. Thus, its ability to resolve wind-swelling and internal heat is evident. However, the use of its smoke holds profound significance. Smoke is a light and pure substance. Once entering the mouth, through respiration and transmission, it can reach the Heart and Spleen directly. It not only mildly treats the symptoms but also addresses the root cause. The villager used it without understanding the principle, which is why he remains a villager. Physicians who hear of it without investigating the principle are likewise no better than villagers.