Jaw Dropping Historical Facts About Dentistry and Dental Health: Part 2 dentistwestjordanut.com /jaw-dropping-historical-facts-dentistry-dental-health-part-2/ We continue our exploration into the depths of dentistry’s fascinating history. From more odd practices of the medieval barber-surgeons and unexpected beautification techniques of ancient Japan to the unfortunate periodontal issues plaguing one of early Hollywood’s most famous stars, we delve into the jaw dropping facts the history of dentistry has to offer.
The Elusive Tooth Worm As far back as 5000 B.C., the Sumerians blamed tiny tooth worms as the cause of any dental issues like toothaches, boring little holes in teeth and hiding inside. Reportedly, some ancient doctors mistook nerves as tooth worms and tried to yank them out. Ouch! The idea that a miniscule tooth-boring worm traveled through the mouth causing dental pain lasted until it was proven false in the 1700s – yes, you read that right, the 1700s – when the father of modern dentistry, Pierre Fauchard, linked the cause of cavities to sugar consumption.
Tooth Whitening by Sanding
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Those European barber-surgeons of the Middle Ages – where would be today without them? As you know, tooth whitening is common practice today. What you may not know, it’s a centuries-old trend. Barbersurgeons would sand off outer layers of their patients’ tooth enamel and coat the teeth with acetic acid to create a whitening effect. It was successful cosmetically, but it also led to an eventual mouthful of rotten teeth as there was no enamel left to protect the teeth from the corrosive properties found in foods.
Black Teeth Were Considered Beautiful Up until the Meiji era in Japan, blackened teeth were considered beautiful. Using a method known as Ohaguro. Teeth were painted with a sort of black lacquer that actually helped to preserve teeth like today’s
dental sealants. The lacquer was made of dissolved iron and acetic acid. This practice was mostly seen in Japanese women, but occasionally men took part as well.
Clark Gable Received Dentures at 32 Clark Gable, the actor most well known for his lead role in Gone with the Wind, had a terrible gum infection that forced him into a set of dentures by age 32. He suffered gum problems when he was young and then a bout of pyorrhea – a severe periodontal disease – in 1933 that led to the extraction of most all of his teeth. He was fitted for a denture plate while in recovery, but the infection had returned leading to further hospitalization, this time necessitating the removal of his gall bladder. After recuperating, he received a full set of dentures and returned to work. He was known on film sets for his bad halitosis, an unfortunate outcome of his periodontal issues.
Gee Whiz
photo credit Wikipedia. Pierre Dieulefils (photographer)
Despite the gross factor, ancient Roman doctors directed patients to rinse their mouths out with urine in order to achieve whiter smiles. The active ingredient ammonia actually worked to lift stains from teeth and can actually help prevent cavities. Luckily today, you don’t have to work up the courage to swish urine in your mouth for a brighter smile.
In Pursuit of Beautiful Smiles Throughout history you can find many surprising practices to achieve a beautiful smile. You might wonder, “What were they thinking?” But you have to consider these pursuits are not that far removed from today’s teeth whitening and straightening. The next time you feel like we live in strange times because of the cosmetic practices at play now, take a look at the jaw-dropping history of dentistry. In your wildest dreams, would you have ever decorated your teeth with precious stones to obtain the perfect smile?
Jaw Dropping Historical Facts About Dentistry and Dental Health: Part 2 by Kent Bladen