People of ancient times believed that the stabbing pain of a toothache was caused by a toothworm, which either had appeared spontaneously or had bored its way into the tooth. If the tooth pain was severe, it meant that the worm was thrashing about; but if the aching stopped, then the worm was resting. Cultures all over the world, many of whom had no contact with each other, held stubbornly to this myth. The folklore of the toothworm persisted from ancient times to the beginning of the eighteenth century.
Folk Cures Bee: Honey, a product of bees, was used to coat an infected tooth in the Middle Ages. People smeared their aching teeth with honey and waited all night with tweezers in hand, ready to pluck out the toothworm. Donkey: In ancient Greece, donkey's milk was used as a mouthwash to strengthen the gums and teeth. Frog: Besides spitting in a frog's mouth for toothache relief, these web-footed creatures were applied to a person's cheek or to the head on the side of the ailing tooth. Onion: In the Middle Ages a slice of onion was applied to the ear on the side of the aching tooth.
A Bite Out of History #2
Barbers became a versatile group in the Middle Ages and in later centuries. In addition to shaving beards and cutting hair, they lanced abscesses, did bloodletting, gave enemas, and extracted teeth.
Some of these barbers liked working on teeth and other ailments so much that they became barber-surgeons. To advertise their services of bloodletting, they displayed buckets of fresh blood in their windows. When the blood congealed, it was poured into the street, where it spoiled. In later centuries, instead of using real blood, red (symbolizing blood) and white poles were displayed in front of barber-surgeon shops to let people know that they did bloodletting.
A Bite Out of History #3
George Washington wore dentures because he had lost one tooth after another to extraction. He suffered from toothaches all his adult life, and his famous quick temper may have been the result of this pain. By the time of his inauguration in 1790, Washington had only one tooth, his lower left bicuspid. A hole in his lower denture allowed this natural tooth to stick out. When it was time for Washington to sit for his presidential painting, the artist, Gilbert Stuart, thought that his dentures were too short, making his cheeks and lips look sunken. He padded Washington's cheeks and lips with cotton to restore the natural lines to his face. But instead of looking better, Washington has an overstuffed, grandmotherly appearance in his portrait.
Pain and Anxiety
The fear of pain in the course of dental treatment has caused millions of people to avoid regular visits. Hardly a dentist has not heard the expression, “I’d rather have a baby than a root canal.” This paradoxical attitude results in unnecessary dental neglect, worsening of dental conditions, and future pain and expense. It is both unfortunate and preventable.
There are many approaches to modern dentistry that may significantly reduce apprehension and anxiety before and during dental procedures.
The use of nitrous oxide (laughing gas), sedatives, stereo headphones, topical anesthetics, and hypnosis are but a few methods of calming most dental phobics. In exceptional cases, a general anesthetic may be indicated to provide a less emotionally debilitating dental experience.
Certainly, the most effective practice of managing dental apprehension is communication. Rather than tightly grip the armrests, convey your concerns to the dentist prior to treatment. Identify what approaches in the past have relieved the stress of an unpleasant dental visit and those that create trauma. Perhaps more than any other health care professional, most dentists are well trained in the psychology of care and comfort.
Gentle, Friendly Care—For All Ages
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