A Study on the Oral, Glottal, Labial, and Dental Diseases in 鄕藥救急方

『향약구급방(鄕藥救急方)』의 구설순치(口舌脣齒) 질환에 관한 고찰

Through researching 鄕藥救急方, the oldest medical text published in Korea in existence known to date, a study from a Traditional Korean Medicine perspective was conducted. This study aims to observe the treatment of oral, glottal, labial, and dental diseases starting from 統一新羅時代 to the Koryo dynasty from a historical perspective and also find out what clinical significance it withholds. "鄕藥救急方" proposes methods of nurturing the teeth and in doing so displays the tendency of Traditional Korean Medicine of putting much weight on preventing diseases and nurturing the body. "鄕藥救急方" considers the oral, glottal, labial, and dental diseases as not only fundamental problems in itself but also treats them from a perspective that they are results of disharmony among the five viscera and the six bowels. The treatment methods mentioned in "鄕藥救急方" are directly cited in "鄕藥集成方" of early Chosun dynasty. In "東醫寶鑑" of mid-Chosun dynasty, however, changes and modificatios are made to the prescriptions.