The History Of Dental Care

From chewing sticks to modern teeth implants, we take a look at the path dental care has taken through the ages.
Going to the dentist can be a daunting experience for some people and is generally not something that people look forward to. With modern dental care and local anaesthetics though, it is something that most of us manage to do and also acknowledge that it is important that we attend regularly.
It is certainly easier to receive appropriate dental treatment these days but it hasn’t always been the case. As we will see in today’s blog, our Canterbury patients may not have had such an easy time of it if they had been born long ago in the past.
Prehistoric times
Archeological digs have indicated that early civilisation managed their oral health by chewing sticks and may have also used rudimentary forms of toothpaste. These would most likely have been made from herbs and other plant materials. It is likely that their diet would have included very little sugar, and certainly far less than today. Bearing this in mind, it is quite possible that, accidents and battles aside, they probably had relatively healthy teeth. Of course, life expectancy would have been much lower too so their teeth may not have had time to deteriorate through age. The ancient Egyptians are believed to have developed toothbrushes and toothpastes further, using ground eggshells as an abrasive element in the toothpaste for example.
Greeks and Romans
This appears to be the era when dental anatomy was first written about by the ancient Greeks. This would have undoubtedly helped people with how they looked after their teeth and gums, albeit in a rudimentary way still. Tooth decay and gum disease were discovered to exist around this time and remedies suggested for those suffering from them. It was around this time that Roman doctors first started to extract teeth or attempted to repair them using gold as a filling material. Needless to say, this would have been primarily beneficial to the wealthy elite and not the general population.
The middle ages
This era is sometimes referred to as the ‘dark ages’ but it did herald advances in dental care with dentists becoming more prevalent as a trade. Unfortunately for anyone attending though, these were not qualified dentists as you would see nowadays at Bradley and Partners Dental & Implant Clinic and other practices in the UK, but were barbers who did this as additional work. It is safe to say that this was a far from pleasant experience and also occurred at a time when general oral care was largely neglected, leading to widespread cases of tooth decay and gum disease.
The Renaissance
Known for advances of many kinds, this era saw the first book on dentistry written by Artzney Buchlein in 1530. It was rather charmingly titled “The Little Medicinal Book for All Kinds of Diseases and Infirmities of the Teeth” . Needless to say, it is no longer used but did mark an advance in dental care at the time. This is also the era where prosthetics and basic dental braces were first used. It was a long way from where we are today with the likes of dental implants, but it still marked an improvement for most people.
18th and 19th Century
This is the era where dentistry started to advance more rapidly and dental schools were established allowing more people access to a dentist. While some of the available dental care would still have been in its infancy (and remember, local anaesthetic was still not used at this stage) it did see the advent of more sophisticated treatments such as root canal procedures and stronger and longer lasting fillings.
20th century
Progress in dental care continued in the last century and access became more widespread, especially with the formation of the NHS. The use of fluoride helped people to maintain stronger tooth enamel although this was, to some extent, negated by an increase in the availability of sweets and chocolate which damaged the enamel more easily than a healthy diet. X-rays were also first used which proved a great advance in the detection of issues like tooth decay and root canal infections. It was also, to patient’s relief we are sure, the era where local anaesthetics were first developed, making visits to the dentist a much less daunting experience.
21st Century
Now we arrive at modern times where it is not just possible to have a tooth filled or extracted, but preserved with excellent dental fillings, including those that match the colour of the tooth making the filling more or less invisible. Dentures, which can be problematic for some people, are gradually being replaced by the sophisticated but extremely strong dental implant, and rudimentary and very visible dental braces are being replaced with modern discrete versions such as Invisalign. Preventative care has also been advanced and patients now also have the opportunity to discuss and improve their overall oral health through visits to our Canterbury hygienist. It is not only that it is now possible to have healthier teeth and gums than in the past but nicer looking ones too. With the ongoing advances in cosmetic dentistry, it is now possible to have healthy teeth and gums AND a great looking smile.
We hope that you enjoyed this little trip through dental history and that you found it useful and perhaps grateful that we live when we do when it comes to oral care. Modern dentistry is always advancing and a wide range of treatments are now available. If you would like to discover how we can help to restore any problematic teeth that you have or want to see how we can improve your smile, why not make an appointment at Bradley and Partners Dental & Implant Clinic by giving us a call on 01227 463529.