How teeth were treated in antiquity: in the Middle Ages, in the 18-19th century, tooth worms

Modern oral hygiene is very different from what it was before, not to mention the methods of dental treatment. Various problems with them always arose, but due to the lack of proper therapy, they often worsened and more people lost their beautiful smile. It is interesting and useful to learn how teeth were treated in antiquity, because it will help to appreciate the work of scientists, doctors and modern medicine more.

How they were treated in the Middle Ages: monks and hairdressers, removal and dangerous anesthesia

By the beginning of the Middle Ages, the development of the ancient world in the field of dental treatment was almost completely lost. Treatment and illness were associated with peculiar rituals due to the religiosity of people at that time. This led to almost zero level of medicine.

There were no doctors, their functions were taken over by monks. There were no methods to save from toothache, in addition to removal, and often engaged in this barbers, who learned the craft at the monastery. They had a complete set of instruments for surgical manipulation.

In 1210, the Guild of Hairdressers was even founded in France, in which the responsibilities for healing and not only teeth were clearly assigned.

They were also engaged in the removal of limbs and the opening of abscesses, in fact, any surgical manipulations of that time.

At the same time, the prototypes of anesthesia were born, and it had a peculiar look. Most fainted at the sight of the tools for the job. Those with stronger nerves were hit on the head with a heavy truncheon. The patients fainted and the doctors performed their manipulations.

There were also such methods of removing teeth: they put the patient on a horse and picked it up with forceps, spurring him to the animal. After the horse twitched, the tooth flew out. But the most common was the restraint of the patient during the procedure by assistants and forcible removal.

forceps

Patients who disagreed with such barbaric dental treatments in ancient times were offered herbal treatments and conspiracies.

Later, other, more effective methods appeared. So in the XIV century, a surgeon from France, Guy de Chaoliak, wrote about the introduction of a hot needle into a carious cavity to get rid of infection. It really helped, but in a slightly different way - this is how the nerve died and the tooth stopped bothering me.

This is how problems in the mouth were treated in the old days. Even such dentistry in the Middle Ages still helped to cope with some problems, although sometimes the methods were painful. Gradually, everything began to change.

15-17 centuries: from blacksmiths to dentists, from pulling out to the first prosthetics

In the middle of the 15th century, blacksmiths or midwives were involved in tooth extraction in villages. The wealthier city dwellers, as before, went to the barbers for treatment. But the executioners were especially popular. This occupation brought them more money than chopping off heads, and pulling out a tooth was much easier, and a lot of work. Some even made it their main occupation. In 1700, the official name of the new profession appeared - dentist.

Due to the fact that in most cases the teeth were removed, the need for prosthetics increased. But it was available to the exceptionally rich.

bridge with donor teeth

animal denture

In 1684 a big step was made. Surgeon Cornelius Solingen was the first to use a manual bur. But its widespread use began only in the 18th century.

18th century: a major breakthrough in dentistry

In the 18th century, the structure of root canals was still not studied, so removal remained the basic method of treatment, which often ended in failure for the patient. Other methods were also tried: suction of purulent contents by leeches or dental transplantation.

The coup took place thanks to the physician treating Louis XV, Pierre Fauchard. He is considered the founder of modern dentistry.

In 1728 he published The Dentist Surgeon or Treatise on Teeth. This treatise contained a description of more than 100 diseases and a system that united many of them.

He is credited with many innovative ideas: tools, filling materials, alignment plates. He invented a lens system for directing light into the patient's mouth, began using pin teeth in implantation and gold crowns.

He became the first to receive the title of dental surgeon and opened a denture shop. Recruiting workers among jewelers, he gave them the necessary knowledge. Thus, dental technicians appeared.

19th century: active development continues

At the end of the 18th century, the first prototype of a primitive drill was made. It was made by John Greenwood, a Washington DC dentist. For rotation, a foot drive from a spinning wheel was used. But the invention of this drill belongs to James Morrison, he patented his device in 1871.

In parallel with this, anesthesiology also developed.

In 1846, ether was used for the first time in dental extraction. And in 1884 Karl Koller used cocaine for pain relief, which gained great popularity among the population.

Fillings and therapy methods were improved.

20th century: innovative technologies

In the 20th century, the pace of development increased inconceivably. Innovative types of implants, an ultrasonic scaler for stone cleaning, and photopolymer fillings were developed.

X-rays were used for removal and treatment. Gradually, dental procedures have become completely painless.

How to treat caries and remove teeth before

Due to the lack of understanding of the nature of occurrence caries the methods of his treatment were strange, and often completely incredible:

1. Rome's physician Pliny suggested treating caries with crow droppings. It was mixed with vegetable oil and placed in the ear on the affected side.
2. In the Middle Ages, a laxative was used. It was believed that after a bowel movement, all problems should go away. Bloodletting was considered another common way to eliminate any pathology at that time.
3. In ancient Egypt, ointments were used to remove caries. If this method was ineffective, a heated metal pin was inserted into the tooth and poured with boiling oil.

Magic rituals were also held in high esteem, in particular, it was believed that the moon acts most effectively on dental diseases. In the 14th century, Cardano suggested that the patient sit outside for several hours with his mouth open so that the moonlight fell on his teeth. Another interesting way was to find a frog on the full moon and spit in its mouth. There were also ways to prevent diseases:

1. In Ethiopia, the gaps between the teeth were widened to prevent food from getting stuck in them.
2. Avicenna fumigated patients. For this technique, onions, goat fat and henbane were used.

Pulling out was one of the basic methods for treating severe toothache until the 18th century. In most cases, the removal methods can hardly be called humane:

1. For example, methods were common where a tooth was attached to something heavy and thrown off a rock.
2. Another method was used in ancient China: arsenic or toad fat was applied to the tooth so that it loosened and fell out on its own. If this did not happen, forceps were used.
3. In Japan, a tooth was first loosened and then manually pulled out.
4. Cornelius Celsus in the 1st century BC NS. filled the hole in the tooth with molten lead and, cutting off the gum, pulled out the tooth.
5. Until the 15th century in Europe, barber was engaged in removal, who had a good command of a special tool - forceps, which were also used for removal.

Tooth worm

The legend of the toothworm originated over 3.5 thousand years ago. years ago and after a while it became an indisputable truth. It was believed that he makes holes in the form of holes, and when he has offspring, pain begins.

Another explanation for the unpleasant sensations was considered to be the movement of the worm inside the tooth. They have been associated with throbbing pain.

Until the 18th century, dental doctors believed that any toothache, caries and bleeding of the gums developed due to a certain worm that lives in the gums and gnaws at the teeth.

In the photo, the toothworm, as it was presented before:

They got rid of the worm in the teeth, again, using the most different and amazing methods: some used a laxative, others used mastic and plant seeds, and still others used hot oil.

How teeth were treated in Russia

In Russia, teeth were treated mainly with herbs and conspiracies.

The rudiments of dentistry in Russia appeared in the 18th century. Peter I invited 12 doctors from abroad to the country and even studied with them.

But until the early 19th century, the process did not begin to be controlled by the state. Only in 1810 was a decree issued allowing people with a special diploma to treat teeth.

Women received the right to study only in 1829. In 1838, for this it was necessary to graduate from the medical academy and pass the appropriate exam.

The first dentist school was private and opened in 1881. At the same time, it became necessary to transform the craft into a specialty requiring higher medical education. Faculties of dentistry are starting to open at state universities.

Major milestones in the development of dentistry

The most important dates in the development of dentistry are the following:

1. 1210 - Creation of the "Guild of Hairdressers" in France.
2. 1700 - foundation of the dentist profession.
3. 1684 - the first used bur for drilling.
4. 1728 - Pierre Fauchard invented a device for aligning the dentition.
5. 1790 - A bur for automatic drilling was introduced.
6. 1867 - The first female dentist, Lucy Taylor, graduated.
7. 1868 - invention of the foot-operated drill.
8. 1890 Gloves were used to treat a patient in the dentist's office.
9. 1907 - appearance at the exhibition of a typewriter with an electric drive.
10. 1956 - the appearance of serial devices for stone removal.
11. 1958 - invention of resin-based polymeric filling material.
12. 1965 - experiments on the introduction of titanium as a material for implants.
13. The end of the 70s of the 20th century - the invention of photopolymer - a substance that can instantly harden under the influence of ultraviolet radiation.