When you consider how ancient civilisations used to look after their teeth, it is fairly easy to be grateful about modern dentistry. Today, even the most severe dental treatments and techniques are relatively pain free compared to what our ancestors when through. So let us take a look at how the ancient Roman, Egyptian and Chinese civilisations practised dental health.
It is believed that the ancient Egyptians lived the longest out of any other civilisation at the time because they took such great care of the health. Being a dentist was a highly respected career but even so; many of the treatments and techniques they used were a bit hit and miss. They tended to stick to spiritual healing or herbal ingredients, many of which are still found in modern medicine today.
Aside from their focus being on herbal and spiritual techniques, however, the Egyptians were also pioneers in oral surgery. There is evidence to show that they extracted teeth, replaced them with animal teeth and fitted other types of prostheses. The cause for most dental health issues were tooth worms; a malady that continued to dominate dentistry right through to the Middle Ages.
The ancient Greeks are known for their experimentation and just like with maths and science, they too were intrigued by dentistry. Even great minds like Aristotle and Hippocrates wrote prolifically on subjects relating to dental health, including treating tooth decay, extracting teeth with forceps and how to stabilise fractured jaws. The Romans who followed were less interested in dentistry, although they did adopt many of the treatments from the Greeks.
And finally, the ancient Chinese civilisation was known to practice dentistry from as early as 6000BC. In China their toothbrushes were either made from bristle from the hair of a pig or (as in many ancient civilisations) they brushed using a wooden chew-stick. Like the Egyptians, much of their dental health issues were treated herbally or using the ancient Chinese therapy of acupuncture.
It is believed that the ancient Egyptians lived the longest out of any other civilisation at the time because they took such great care of the health. Being a dentist was a highly respected career but even so; many of the treatments and techniques they used were a bit hit and miss. They tended to stick to spiritual healing or herbal ingredients, many of which are still found in modern medicine today.
Aside from their focus being on herbal and spiritual techniques, however, the Egyptians were also pioneers in oral surgery. There is evidence to show that they extracted teeth, replaced them with animal teeth and fitted other types of prostheses. The cause for most dental health issues were tooth worms; a malady that continued to dominate dentistry right through to the Middle Ages.
The ancient Greeks are known for their experimentation and just like with maths and science, they too were intrigued by dentistry. Even great minds like Aristotle and Hippocrates wrote prolifically on subjects relating to dental health, including treating tooth decay, extracting teeth with forceps and how to stabilise fractured jaws. The Romans who followed were less interested in dentistry, although they did adopt many of the treatments from the Greeks.
And finally, the ancient Chinese civilisation was known to practice dentistry from as early as 6000BC. In China their toothbrushes were either made from bristle from the hair of a pig or (as in many ancient civilisations) they brushed using a wooden chew-stick. Like the Egyptians, much of their dental health issues were treated herbally or using the ancient Chinese therapy of acupuncture.
Geen opmerkingen:
Een reactie posten