Ancient Beginnings: Magic and Myth In 700 BCE Babylonia, a man recites an incantation to relieve his toothache by invoking the history of a mythical worm that causes dental pain. This ritual marks one of the earliest forms of dentistry, rooted in magic and superstition rather than medical science.
Neolithic Dentistry and Agricultural Impact Dentistry's origins trace back even further to Neolithic times when basic tools were used for tooth extraction. The advent of agriculture introduced sugars into diets, leading to widespread tooth decay attributed not to diet but demons or imaginary worms. Ancient treatments ranged from rituals involving human skulls to hand extractions as punishment under Hammurabi’s code.
Advancements in Egypt, India, Greece & Rome Egyptians advanced early dentistry with opium-based pain relief drugs while Indian Vedic texts recommended daily teeth cleaning practices still relevant today. Greek scholars like Hippocrates studied dental health scientifically despite some lingering superstitions; Romans innovated with gold crowns and prosthetics marking significant progress yet viewed oral health as less prestigious within medicine.
'Tooth Pullers,' Barber Surgeons & Modernization 'Tooth pullers' performed public extractions at carnivals using sleight-of-hand tricks while barber surgeons combined cosmetic services with minor surgeries including dentistry due to Vatican edicts separating major surgery from lesser procedures around the 12th century. Pierre Fauchard revolutionized modern dentistry in 1723 by identifying sugar as causing decay thus shifting practice towards scientific methods over superstition