A Brief History of Dental Care
As long as humans have had teeth, we have had to deal with all the problems that come with them. We are lucky today to have all kinds of treatments available to us, but this was not always the case. Thousands of years of research later and we finally have it more or less worked out, but there was a time when a mere toothache was a rather more serious ailment.
The origins of dentistry cannot be pinpointed specifically but recent evidence has been uncovered in Pakistan, in the form teeth with finely drilled holes in them. They date back to 7000 BC, showing that we were resourceful when it came to fighting “tooth worms”, which were widely believed to be the cause of tooth decay. This belief seemed to live on right up until 1300 BC, as referred to by surgeon Guy de Chauliac.
However, during this period leading up to the Middle Ages, it seems we were fairly advanced in this field, even if we still had some way to go before understanding how dental care actually worked. The earliest known dental surgeon was Hesy-Re, an Egyptian scribe who died in 2600 BC. Highly renowned in his time, his methods would have included drilling and herbal remedies. These treatments were probably limited in their use but would go on to evolve into the procedures and toothpaste we know today. Such techniques were practised and refined over time, and early evidence shows that tooth extraction and the wiring of loose teeth were also put into practise.
Hippocrates and Aristotle also included dentistry in their body of work, making references to the pattern teeth follow as they erupt, gum disease, extraction and various other practical methods. Following that in 100 BC a notable Roman medical writer called Celsus wrote extensively on oral hygiene with some rather forward-thinking ideas. Around this time another method of teeth-cleaning was out into practise that was surprisingly advanced, so much so that some cultures still use it today. Known as a chewstick, it was a twig of fibrous wood, the end of which would be chewed to separate the fibres to create a kind of brush that could be used to scrub teeth clean. Sound familiar? And as it turns out, certain species of tree do indeed have antimicrobial properties to help kill bacteria.
So we were already well on our way by the middle ages but dental care was still a long way from what we have now. In fact, dentistry was still not recognised as a profession in itself and was usually carried out by multi-tasking barbers, whose tools would double as surgical instruments. Of course, this wwas how poor people were treated but the wealthier had the privilege of these talented barbers visiting the at home to pull their teeth out. Extractions were carried out with forceps and later a “dental key” which was modelled on a doorkey and just as practical when it came to safely removing teeth. It sort of worked, in the sense that there was less of the tooth left in the mouth after using it. Drilling continued to be the preferred method of removing plaque while gold fillings were also used.
Research continued throughout the Renaissance in the hope of discovering less barbaric ways to remove teeth and maintain good oral health. Teeth cleaning remained rather basic and they were usually wiped clean with sponge, although toothpicks were also put into use.
Attitudes to dentistry took a huge step forwards in the 18th century, although at first it was seen as a lesser field of medicine, but the next hundred years would see some significant changes. One of the most notable figures of this time, and in fact the whole history of dentistry, was Pierre Fauchard, also modestly known as the Father of Modern Dentistry. He earned this reputation following the publication of his book in 1723, A Treatise on Teeth, which was the first to comprehensively describe dental anatomy and the techniques required to restore and maintain them. Added to this was the boundary-pushing claim that sugar could lead to tooth decay. Nothing like it had been published before and people started to sit up and take notice.
Dentistry wasn’t just for the quacks anymore, it was finally seen as a rather important field of medicine in its own right that should be dealt with professionally. Of course, as professional practitioners began to pop-up, so too did bills and only the wealthy could afford real help with their ailments. The rest of us had to make do with the blacksmith at the village market. But for those with money, they had a wide range of cutting-edge treatments available to them, including ivory teeth, because there were a lot more elephants at the time.
By the 19th century dentistry was a fully-formed professional field, although one without rules and regulations, which meant malpractise was painfully common. But whereas the previous century had seen a vast improvement in the quality and safety of dental procedures, this one saw another the discovery of something else that millions of people would be eternally grateful for. The man responsible was Dr. Horace Wells, a dentist in Connecticut who hit on the idea cheering his patients up with nitrous oxide since it made people laugh so much. When it turned out that this laughing gas also numbed pain, anaesthesia was born and the world stopped screaming. Well, it carried on screaming but with laughter instead of anguish. This technique would be modified over time and become a standard procedure as part of dental surgery. Less reluctance to have teeth pulled led to a much higher demand for dentures, so the ivory had to go. Fortunately an alternative material was found, making mass production possible.
The 20th century was full of technological advances, making dentistry even more efficient and safe. By now the toothbrush had been developed and perfected, although it took a long time to get there, but that’s another story. We now had a much better understanding of disease and prevention and the use of a toothbrush was heavily encouraged everywhere, from schools to the army. The latter half of the century saw the world’s dental health improve greatly and hygiene became a part of everyday life. Toothpaste was also perfected and advances in other fields were utilised to apply to dentistry, such as the invention of the x-ray, which could also be used to look at teeth.
Even today, further research into dental health is being carried out. We have a better understanding of the human body than ever before and dental health is better than ever.
