Quirky Dental Things You Need To Know
Oral care has taken a lot of strides in the past century and we are experiencing a very convenient way of taking care of our teeth than our ancestors. Read on and you just might appreciate this era you were born in and be glad that you are only required to see and dentist once a year. And the fact that you can actually see one whenever you need to.
Worms:
Around 5000 BC, ancient Sumerians believed that cavities were caused by tooth worms that caused toothaches by boring holes into the teeth. These were treated by smoking them out with heated beeswax and henbane seed. Most likely, they would have thought the nerves of teeth were worms and included them in the extraction. With no anesthesia.
Dental Braces:
Even around 400 BC, Hippocrates and Aristotle were already thinking of ways to straighten teeth. This has led to centuries of technological development leading to the modern dental braces. Yes, even then, people were already fascinated with our pearly whites and scientists made a big deal out of them.
Ancient Grills:
Around 166-201 AD, the Etruscans were already practicing dental prosthetics by using gold crowns and bridges. They did this by fashioning rings out of gold bands instead of wires which were common in other cultures like the Egyptians. Human and animal teeth were banded together by these gold rings and then attached permanently to the mouth by smoldering the gold bands.
Silver Matters:
The first mention of amalgam was in ancient China during the reign of Emperor Gaozu of the Tang Dynasty. This was around 618 AD and the emperor, rich and powerful as he is, was also not exempted from the torments of dental pain. Has pain was usually treated with extraction, he experimented with tin and silver, melted them, and packed them into the rotted areas of the teeth. This allowed him to get rid of the pain while still saving the tooth thus enabling him to chew his food as he always did.
Guild of Barbers:
By the year 1210, the Guild of Barbers was formed in France. They were categorized into two groups, the surgeon barbers and the lay barbers. The former executed complex surgeries while the latter were left to perform routine hygienic services like shaving, bleeding, and tooth extraction. In 1400, lay barbers were prohibited by a royal decree to perform all surgical procedures leeching and extracting teeth. These days, some people are still scared with the thought of having to see a dentist. Whether it is for a regular check-up or an extraction. Especially an extraction. But imagine if it was your barber you had to go to so you can have an annoying tooth pain treated? Or a leech in your mouth?