Oral Acupuncture

Oral Acupuncture

Summary The oral mucosa affers non tnditional acupoints, forming an acupunclure mic/osystemthat may be used for treatmenloi diseasethroughoutthe body. Throughpalpationol tenderspotsthis systemcan be an aid to diagnosis,or by injection of tiny volumes of normal saline or local anaestheticit can be used as an effective treatment. Oral acupuncture has been clinically testedover a perioclof 25 yearsand has proved effective fot a variety of diseases. Additionally,rclationshipswith inte'nal organsand bod) a, ul'oin' harc bcen cletnon.ttaetJ.

two midlinemeridians;i.e. a circulafvesseJ within the oraJcavitt runningalong the orbicularisoris muscle and meeting in the wisdom tooth and retfomolar areas,

Relation to intenal organs Voll and Kramer investigatedthe energy links betweenteeth, includingperiodontaltissue,and internal organs and functions by performing electricalmeasurernents while drillingteeth.These measurements were made al lraditionalacupoints with known relationshipsto internal organs. Traumatisationol the respectiveteeth teaclsto a Key words temporarychangeof the bio-electricbehaviourof Acupuncture microsystems,Mouth, Oral acupunctute, theirrelatedbody acupoints. As theyfoundthat rhe Teeth. inner organsand their functionsare completely repfesented within the dental system,this for..s Introduction anotherholographic sornatotopy, or microsystem, of A usefulholographicsomatotopyis to be found in the body. the mucousmembrane of the oral cavity,linkingthe Thus, accordingto Dr Voll'sfindings,ihere is a teeth,tsingiva,lips and cheeksto all partsof the mutualcorrelation betweenthe respective teeth,the oryanismand its functions.This microsystemof meridiansand the five functionalcircuits-The oral acupuncture was discovered25 yearsago and has points are situatedadjacentto the teeth, namely been used by d€ntistsand acupuncturists in many labiodenrally and buccodentally, and are suitable countries bothlor treatment air)and diagnosis. The phenomenon of the microsystemwas They may be used for treatment becauseof the originallydiscovered by Dr Nogierof France,some reflexmechanism which linl<s them to lhe respective iortyyearsago.Sincehe madehisfindings,we have internalorgansand functions.Systemattc treatment becomefamiliarwilh the existenceof a complete of points,where it neutralises the previousstateof holographic somatotopy of the humanbodyon each irritationwithin the points,rnaylrigBeroff positive auricle.Whilst some singleear pointswefe l<nown and instantaneous effectson the internalfunctions and used in traditional Chinese acupuncture, involved. _lhey modernsystematicauriculotherapy has becomea are suitablefor diagnosis becausethey show veryrefinedand eflectivemethodof acupuncture. up only during a state oi irritation,signaliing Specificmucosalpointssuitablefor therapywere functionaldisorderor stressof the innef organ.As describedas eariy as 1895 by the Cermandoctor lon8 as they afe not signallinB,the microsystem ProfessorFliess.In the nasal mucosa he found points afe not detectabJe. This characteristic of certainpointsby meansof which he was alrle to beingstrictlyreactiveis sharedby all microsystem iniluencedisordersof the digestiveand uro ilenital points and distinguishes them from the general systemsas well as migraineand cervical spine acupoints of the body. 0rsoroers. As the mucousmembraneis more sensitivethan Oniy two traditionalChineseacupuncturepoints the skin,the irritationof oral acupointsoftenaffects were known and used in the mouth:the terminal the sufroundingtissueas well. For instance:the p o i ' 1 . o f l h p l \ ^ o m i d ln . m e - : d i d n .B o ! e n r n B adjacentarea of the mucousmembranebecomes vesseJand conception vessel, siiuated at the sensitive to pressure/ or the point areashowssmall frenulumof the upperand lower jaw respectively.indurations of a slightoedematous swelling.Strictly Dr Voll, the developerof Voll electroacupunctufe,localisedgingivitis,or a gingival ulcer, may be suggested that the energyflow does not end at these causedby an irritationof the ofal pointarea.Thus,if terminalpoints,but that thereis a link betweenthe the therapjstis familiarwith the reJationships of the May1995Val l3 No.l

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relatedto the gallbladderand liver meridians;the Iower premolarsand uppef molarsare relatedto the stomach and spleen meridians;the lower molars and upper premolars are related to the large and the wisdomteeth intestineand lung meridians; are related to the small intestine and heart meridians.

Anatomical position The oral aclpoints had not been used for therapy until their recent discovery,although dentistshave used local anaestheticinjections in the immediate neighbourhood of these points. Dentists usually direct their iniection vertically towards the root apex. The oral acupoints, however, are situated 1-2cm away from the apex,on the insideof the lips andcheeks. The therdpeuticindication\of oral acupointscdn o34 o35 spleedslomach be deriv"dfromrhe adiacenlleelh.I havelhere{ore with the samenumber numberedthe oral acupoints lhe as the correspondinBtcelh raccordingto 'oral . O lor with an additional rontinenlalsystem,, jaw should Thus, the oral points of the right upper ri7ure 1. Pointsin the buccalsulcus be labelledO 111oO IB,theleftupperjawO2l to O 2B, the left lower jaw O 3/ to O 38, and the riSht points,inspectionof the Singivaand, in particular, loweriaw O 4l to O 48lFiSure2). O 21/22 O J1/32 dieilal pdipalion of lhe ordl muco\a, mdv Eive The oral dcupoinlsO II/l2 geieral diagnostrrhinls as lo lhe innerorgan*and and O 11/42 are linked to the kidney and urinary bladdermeridians,includingall the organsof the theirfunctionalbalance. circuit, the A feature of Oral Acupuncture is that each oral uro-senital tract. In this functional tus and adnexae,as well as the frontal acupoint correspondsnot merely to a singleorgan, o,osiate,ut pharvnqeal lonsrl:arealsoincluded but lo a spe(ilic group of orSansThereare iive iinusesand T h e o r a dl ( u p o i n t ; Ot 3 , 2 J , J l , a n d4 J a r e b e s i d e dt five differenlaredsof distinclqroupsrepiesented are linked to the the bucial iulcus rFlEureii. Ihese five diffPrenl the canine teeth. Theseacupoints as they are liver and gall bladder meridians, and their point areascan easilybe distinguished, liver and gall identical to the five groups of teeth: incisors, lherapeulici;dicalionsincludethe of lhe spine,the hips and canines,premolars,molarsand wisdomteeth The bladder,rertainsegments by lrdditionrl knees, the eyes, the sphenoid sinuses and the nro|',o,oi orqon.are thosedescribed 'Five tlementt Dalatine tonsils. in the so-crlled ihinese med-icine of spleenand stomach,and lunS meridians The one Yang, law, in which pairsof orSans,one Yin and during their and their meridianswere coupled.Thus:the upper and large intestine,cross each other In the and lower incisor teeth are related to the bladder course over the face. As a consequence/ meridians are and kidney meridians fPlafe 7); the canines are lower iaw the spleen and stomach linked io points besidethe premolarteeth, O 34135 and O 44/45, and in the upperjaw to points next to the molar teeth,O t6/17 and O 26/27. Simila y' the lune and laree inleslinemeridiansare linked to poiis by rhi premolarteelh in the upper idw: O 14/15 and O 24/25 and the molar teeth in the lowet iaw. O 36/37 and O 46/47. PointsrelatinSto the stomachand spleen meridiansare suitable for treatmentof maxillary sinusitisas well as stomach, pancreasand spleendisorders.Pointscorrespbnding aresuitable io the lungand largeintestinemeridians for bronchitisand sinusitis,especiallyethmoid sinusitis,as well as Iung and larSe intestine disorders. The oral acupoints O 18, 28, 38, and 48 ate actually areascomprisingtwo or three points each Thev are linked to the heart and small intestine of includedisorders Ptate 1. Onl acupoints O 11/42 of lower jaw, and theirindications meridians, some and elbows,and the shoulders the duodenum,

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problems. neTvous and psychological The meridians of the triple energisef and pericardium do not seemto be projectedw'thin the systemof oral acupoinlssituatedin the buccal sulcus.However,behindthisarea,thereis evidence of points reJated1(] these mefidians.The triple pointsarefoundat the ascending energiser ramusof the mandiblebelow the temporomandibularjoint

functional circuits of the body are represented within the retromolarspace in additjonto triple energiserand pericardiumpoints.Becauseof this concentrationof points, the relromolar space is o{ pfe eminenttherapeutic importance {P/ate2).

Treatment It seemsthat disordersand imbalances of internal (TMr. organsand functionsare signalledsimultaneously The area beyondthe wisdom teeth is of special both in the buccal sulcusand in the retromolar importancein therapy.This afea, the retromolar pointsbut, because of the greaterimportance of the space,is the distalextension of the upperand lower retromolar space,it is bestto treatthesepointsfirst. jaws, where a set of irnaginary"9th teeth" could 6e Re-palpation of previouslyirritablebuccal sulcus located,and are in fact occasionally foundas a rare poinlsservesasa proofof the success of the treatment. developmental abnormality. The retromolarpoints Electrical detectionof acupointsis not practicable are well suited for treatment of many different in the mouth due to the moistureof the mucous disorders fFigure 3), e.g. headache, migraine, membrane.However,digital palpationis usualiy shoulder, elbow, cervical and lumbar spine reasonably straightforward and is effective at complaints,functionaldisordersof the uro-genital localisingthe points.Increased s€nsitivity may give systemetc. Painand spasmof the TMJanctrnusctes diagnostichints about the functionalstateot the of rnastication,even if causedby emotional stress, respective organsrelatedto the particularpoint and can be relievedby treatingpointsof the upperand oral palpationcan also be used for checkingthe lowerretromolar space. resultsof body acupuncture or of aclpunctureto Pointswithin this spaceare crowdedtogether,so othermicrosystemsIn rnanycasesthe sensitivjty ol distin:luishingbetween them presents some specilic oral points is extinguishedinstantly difficulty.lt is thereforeimpossibleto differentiate when corresponding pointsof other microsystems, their respectivecorrespondences clearly.All five e.8. auriculat are treated successfully.This May 1995 Vol 13 No.l

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are in common use by dentistsand are nearly painless.ln practiceluse 279 disposableneedles rightly s(rewed on. or frrn'lv dlrd(hcd. Io lhe disposable syringe so that a needle can never becomeloosewithinthe oralcavity.

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The poin\ are sensitive ta prcssurc in sinus infection, hyper tensive hudache and indiSestion. Ihey are alsa ofdiagnostic and thenpeutic benefit in shouldet, arm and elbow conplaints. ce icnl syndrome, veltieo, lymphatic conplaints and nigraine headaches.Next to the wisdom tooth arca, points are related to functians of the heart ancl snall intestine lpsycholaBical imbalance and stress). Euccally: the points can be used to .reat lunbaqo, spinal t.oubles, sciatica, functi.,nal indiSestion and hotnonal nalfunction (point on frantal edse of ascendlnSnandible). Lingually: the paints can be used ta teat ceNicat syndronel vertilo, nisaine, hearinq difficuki5 and lunclional disodes of kidneyand bladder Figurc 3. The rctomolar points.

Point deteciion The successof therapy dependson hitiing the correct point exactly.lf this can be done, the and desensitised irritationof the point is neutralised irnmediately,l.e. the point can no longer be identifiedwhen palpated.This effectis not due to any local anaestheticused, as it is similarly achievedby otherinjectionfluids.The preciseidentification of the "very point" is what matters.Once reactivepoinisare neutralised, there the specifically is usuallya beneficialeffecton the originalinternal functionaldisofder. ldentificationol the "very point" is best achieved areawith by firstgentlydabbingalongthe suspected the iniectionneedlef2).The needleshouldthen be as shallowlyas possible.The insertedtan8entially, free fingersshould be restedon the adjacenttissue, hand.When servingas a supportfor the physician's the 'rery pont is ql'u(k lhe pdlienle\pe ience5a slight "electrical" sensationwhich, although it is hasthe sameimpoftance triggered only superficially, as the "sensatioralong the channel",the De Qi, of classical acupuncture, and patients almost to findinSthis "vefy invariablygive someresponse point", olren a gasp,flinch or widening of the eyes. This superficialsensationindicatesthai the oral acupointhasbeen struckprecisely.Very often at this moment,the injection needle seemslo be "drawn" channel. intothe pointas if into a pre-formed to of the injectionfluid lmmediately0.1 0.2m1 forming a tiny should be injected superficially, Now a felt wiih the finger tip. bubblewhich can be gentlemassageof the bubblewill intensifythe effect and at the sametime allow a checkas to whether the irritabilityof the po'nt has been desensitised. lf not, this means that the "very polrt" has been nanowlymissed.Needleinseftionshouldtherefore be repeatedclose by. This is not painful for the

"extinguishingeffect" is a phenomenontypical of in general. microsystem acupuncture Digital palpation in the buccal sulcus and retromolarspace aims at identifying irriiated points and comparing the degree of irritation in points and in the relatedto the samemeridianbilaterally, upperand lowerjaws. It is impracticableto use acupunctureneedles within the mouth. For therapeutic purposes, therefore,the oral acupointsshouldbe stimulated ln general,the by meansof superficialinl'ections. useof normalsalinesolution,or of low percentage (1% or less),is recommended. local anaesthetics dilutionsmay Homoeopathic or otherphysiological functional on the basic injected, depending be agents Plate2. Retronolarspaceand orcl acupointo l8 af upperjaw, but vasoconstricting involved, disorder should be avoided.Very fine hypodermicneedles buccally from the wisdom tooth. in Medicine Acupuncture

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patientas the localanaesthetic hasalreadynumbed the surroundingareawithout havingany effecton the desiredpoint if this had been missed.I have observedno undesiredside-effectsover 25 yeafs, experience of practicaloral acupuncture, provided therehas been no allergyto local anaesthetic. Any changesfor the worse were mereJytemporaryand they always stinrulatedthe body's selfregulating mechanism.

Oral Acupunctureoffersa link betweentraditional acupuncture and the modern concept of acupunctoremicrosystems, since the holographic projectionof the whole body into the mouth can none the lessbe seen in terms of the traditional meridiansystem. Dr med lochen M Gleditsch Hermann-RothStrasse12 D-82065 Baiefutunn,Cennany

Diseasetherapy Oral Acupuncturemay be combinedwith other for'n.o13, gpLln,111c' oodr or anothermir ro,)\lpm. In this respect,it is comparable to ear acupuncture. Paincondjtionsas well as stiffness of all partsof the l . C e d i t s c h j M ( 1 9 7 9 ) i,lundakuplnkrlf. WBVVerlaE, spine and joints improveconsiderably. For some 2 . C l e d i l s c h l M ( 1 9 9 5 ) A needle based poirn detecrion reason, however/ there are patients who respond technique used on lhe hand. Acupurcture in Medicinc. betterto oral acupuncture, othersto auriculotherapy | 3 1 1 ) : 2 0 and othersto traditionalacupunctufe,but in the case of shouJder, arm and elbow disorders,oral acupuncture has proved superior. Fof these World Natural MedicineFoundation disorders, points by the wisdom teeth and 3rd World Congress of Medical retTomolarspacesof the upperjaw are indicatedfor Acupuncture and Natural Medicine tfeatment.Disordersof the cervical and lumbar "lntegrated spine can be treated by wisdom tooth and ComplementaryMedicine for All retromolarpointsof the lower jaw, both buccaily in the 2l st Century" and linSually;with the 9th tooth area linguallyfor the ileo sacraljoint. Kneeand hip complaintsare besttreatedby the lower canine points labiodenIaIy,

For sinusitis,oral acupunctureis effectivein providinScompleteand permanentcures.Acute, chronic,and allergicsinusitis, rhjniiisand bronchitis canall be treatedusingthe upperwisdomtoothand retromolarspace points. I have found that a pain .pn\ilt\tn oi thF rer(l\e poin,\ oi the upperjdlr retromolarspaceis a key symptomin any form of sinusitis. The sensiiivityusuallypersists even when the commonsinusitis symptomshavebeensuccess fuJlycombatedby antibioticsor chemotherapy; the persisting sensitivity hintsto the factthatthe sinusitis hasonly beensuppressed and thatrelapses areto be expected. It however, by means ot oral acupunctufe/ the retromolarpointsare treateduntil theyare desensitised, this indjcates thatthe sinusitis has been completely cured and relapsesare very rare.lt wilj be found that with the sametfeatment not onJy sinusitis,but also digestivedisorders, especially ofthe larSeintestine, can improve.

Edmonton,Alberta, Canada August 8th to 12th 1995 Thiscongress will covera wide rangeo{ topicsretated to traditional Chinese medicine, but with a particutar slanttowardstheintegrationoJ TCMand western biomedicinewithin the contextof a morecomoassionate,naturalapproachto primaryheatthcare. Dr StevenAung,€linicalassktantprofessorand director of medicalacupuncture and orientalmedicine. UniveAity of Alberra,isorqanising thisprestrgioJs conJerence besidethe NorthSaskatchewan river,at the Edmonton Conventror Cenrre. A((ommodation is availableat a varietyof hotelsand may be arrangedby the conferencesecretariat,

Conclusion Oral Acupuncturecan be performedvery quickly and easily, and I have now treated thousandsof Therewill be pre and postcongress workshopsdeating with a selectionof irnportanttopicsin depth.Also patientswith this techniquein my ear, nose and throatclinic overthe past25 years,with sufficiently there is a ch6nceto visitthe famouscanadianRocky Mountainson one of the pre or postcongress tou|s. good resultsto have adopted this method for the The sceneryis breathtakingand certaintynot to be majorityof my patients. By neitheradvertising that I am an acupunctufist,nor informingmy patients aboutthe natureof theirtreatment, I haveachieved Fulldetailscanbe obtainedfrom: Dr Steven Auns my results without in{luencing patients by 9904 106stteet,Ednanton,Alberta,CanadaT5K1c4 suggestionTel:(403)424.2231.Fax:(403)424.852A

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