The early years of dentistry and teeth
04/19/2017
Although there have been huge advances in dental care in recent years,
there are records of people dealing with teeth going back over thousands
of years.
Here are some of the key dates from the early years in the development of dentistry.
5000 BC: A Sumerian text describes tooth worms as the cause of dental decay.
2600 BC: Hesy-Re, an Egyptian scribe, often called the first dentist,
dies. An inscription on his tomb includes the title the greatest of
those who deal with teeth, and of physicians.
500-300 BC: Hippocrates and Aristotle write about dentistry, including
the eruption pattern of teeth, treating decayed teeth and gum disease,
extracting teeth with forceps, and using wires to stabilize loose teeth
and fractured jaws.
166-201 AD: The Etruscans practice dental prosthetics using gold crowns and fixed bridgework.
500-1000: During the Early Middle Ages in Europe, medicine, surgery, and
dentistry, are generally practiced by monks, the most educated people
of the period
700: A medical text in China mentions the use of silver paste, a type of amalgam.
1130-1163: A series of Papal edicts prohibit monks from performing any
type of surgery, bloodletting or tooth extraction. Barbers often
assisted monks in their surgical ministry because they visited
monasteries to shave the heads of monks and the tools of the barber
trade sharp knives and razors were useful for surgery. Following the
edicts, barbers assume the monks surgical duties: bloodletting, lancing
abscesses, extracting teeth, etc.
1210: A Guild of Barbers is established in France. Barbers eventually
evolve into two groups: surgeons who were educated and trained to
perform complex surgical operations; and lay barbers, or
barber-surgeons, who performed more routine hygienic services including
shaving, bleeding and tooth extraction.
1400s: A series of royal decrees in France prohibit lay barbers from
practicing all surgical procedures except bleeding, cupping, leeching,
and extracting teeth.
About This Author
At Best Dental Care @ Tyler dentist office in Tyler TX, your smile is our top priority. Dr. Sachin Kocharekar and with entire team is dedicated to providing you with the personalized, gentle care that you deserve. Part of our commitment to serving our patients includes providing information that hel…
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The early years of dentistry and teeth
04/19/2017
Although there have been huge advances in dental care in recent years,
there are records of people dealing with teeth going back over thousands
of years.
Here are some of the key dates from the early years in the development of dentistry.
5000 BC: A Sumerian text describes tooth worms as... Read More »