Going to the dentist might not be everyone’s favorite activity, but modern dental care is considerably more comfortable than it was a few centuries ago. Before anesthesia, electric toothbrushes, and modern dentistry, people relied on some truly questionable methods to keep their teeth clean, treat toothaches, and improve their smiles.
Some historical treatments sound more like medieval torture than healthcare, while others reveal just how resourceful people became when faced with dental problems. Here are seven practices that make today’s dental appointments seem positively luxurious.
- Using Urine as Mouthwash
Ancient Romans had some unusual ideas about oral hygiene, including using urine to clean and whiten teeth. People believed urine could help remove stains, although it certainly wouldn’t meet modern hygiene standards.
Urine contains compounds that can break down into ammonia, which may help explain its historical use for cleaning. Thankfully, modern toothpaste and mouthwash offer considerably more pleasant alternatives.
- Having Teeth Pulled by Barbers
Imagine visiting your barber for a haircut and leaving with one fewer tooth. During the Middle Ages and beyond, barber-surgeons performed various medical procedures, including tooth extractions.
Without modern anesthetics or sophisticated instruments, these procedures could be extremely painful. Today, qualified dental professionals use specialized equipment and appropriate pain management techniques to make treatment safer and more comfortable.
- Buying Dentures Made From Other People’s Teeth
Before modern dental materials became available, dentists sometimes constructed dentures using real human teeth. These could come from deceased individuals or people who had sold their teeth for money.
The practice became particularly notorious during the nineteenth century, when so-called Waterloo teeth were associated with teeth taken from battlefield casualties.
Modern dentures are made from specially designed materials, eliminating the need for such disturbing arrangements.
- Treating Toothaches With Strange Remedies
Before dentists understood the causes of tooth decay, people experimented with various remedies to relieve dental pain. Historical treatments included herbal preparations, alcohol, and substances applied directly to painful teeth.
Some offered temporary relief, while others were ineffective or potentially harmful. Modern South West London dentists can assess the underlying cause of dental discomfort rather than relying on traditional remedies that might make the problem worse.
- Believing Worms Were Eating Their Teeth
For centuries, some civilizations believed tiny worms lived inside teeth and caused toothaches. This theory appeared in ancient medical traditions and persisted in different forms long before scientists understood dental decay.
Treatments sometimes involved smoke, herbal mixtures, or attempts to drive out these imaginary creatures. We now understand that tooth decay involves bacteria, acids, and the breakdown of tooth structure.
- Filing Teeth Into Different Shapes
Not every historical dental procedure was intended to treat disease. In several cultures, people deliberately altered the shape of their teeth for aesthetic, ceremonial, or social reasons.
Archaeological evidence from Mesoamerica reveals carefully shaped teeth and decorative dental modifications. While these practices held cultural significance, attempting similar alterations without appropriate dental expertise could permanently damage healthy teeth.
- Wearing Dentures With Springs
Early dentures weren’t always particularly comfortable or practical. Some eighteenth-century designs used metal springs to hold upper and lower dentures in place.
These mechanisms could make speaking and eating awkward, particularly when compared with modern dentures designed around individual measurements and improved materials.
A Reason to Appreciate Modern Dentistry
Dental history is full of unusual inventions, uncomfortable procedures and surprising beliefs. Although some early techniques helped dentistry develop, others show how limited medical knowledge once was.
Modern dental care has come a remarkable distance, with better diagnostic tools, safer materials, and more effective treatment options. The next time you’re sitting in the dentist’s chair, it might be worth remembering that at least nobody is suggesting urine mouthwash or a trip to the barber for an extraction.
