Early beginnings of different branches in science were influenced by myth and folklore. Before scientific knowledge was developed, early oral care practices relied on personal beliefs and myth about the teeth and tongue. The mouth plays an important role when a man eats or talks to other people. Different cultures deal with tooth and mouth concerns depending on what is right for them.
There is an old universal belief that a man’s teeth symbolizes power. So they did what they knew would preserve their teeth for as long as they live. This is the same motivation that prompted the development of modern dentistry.
Here are some of the ancient ways of treating a toothache:
- According to Pliny, the elder (77 AD) Boil earthworms in oil. When it’s done, pour it on the ear on the side where it hurts.
- Make a juice with onions. Drop them in the mouth. Find a tree struck by lightning and bite the wood. (Ibid)
- Slip tobacco in the armpit. Heat a birch root and hold it against the cheek. You can also find a frog and hold it against the cheek or lick the frog’s abdomen. (Norwegian folklore)
- Submerge feet in warm water and rub feet with bran before going to bed; Leave roasted turnips behind the ear. (John Wesley, 1747).
Beliefs and procedures regarding tooth extraction:
- “Round the tooth to be drawn, he fastened a strong piece of catgut; to its other end he affixed a bullet. Then he charged a pistol with this bullet and a full measure of powder. The firing performed a speedy and effectual removal of the offending tooth”. Based on Dr. Monsey, 1788.
- Americans and Europeans used to turn to blacksmiths for extractions. People thought their tools were sufficient dental tools.
- “If one had a tooth extracted, it must be burned, because, if a dog got it and swallowed it, one would have a dog’s tooth come in its place” (Dr. Holmes, 1862).
In cleaning teeth:
- Rub the teeth with crumbs ashes from burnt bread (Poor Will’s Almanack, 1780).
- To keep your teeth strong and your gums healthy, wash your mouth red wine every morning (London, 1598).
- In some areas in England, there’s a superstition that goes like this: one prevents a toothache by “clothing one’s right leg prior to the left” (G.P. Foley, 1972).
Growing tooth:
- If you want the teeth to grow fast, strong and healthy, rub the child’s gums with the brain of a hen. (London, 1934).
- Find a rabbit. Roast the brains. Get a small portion and rub it on the gums. (US, 1942).
