Your teeth are your friends when they’re in good shape, but they can throw some serious tantrums when a cavity invades. How did this whole business of caring for our teeth even begin, and when did it take root in the United States? As you look for the right dentists in Fairbanks, Alaska, consider how we got on this dentistry track to where we are today. Ancient Days Evidence of dentistry in archeology has been dated as far back as 7000 BC, to artifacts from the Indus Valley Civilization. The earliest writings about dentistry that have been discovered date back to around 5000 BC and speak about tooth decay. Back then, the concept of tooth worms is what was used to explain the holes that formed in teeth as a result of cavities. This myth of tooth worms actually existed well into the 1700s, when it was finally debunked, so for centuries the true source of tooth decay was mythologized and not really properly understood. Innovation Begins In 1530, the first modern book on dentistry was published, The Little Medicinal Book for All Kinds of Diseases and Infirmities in Teeth. Around this time, up until the 1800s, dentistry was actually one of several skills that a lay surgeon performed. Lay surgeons were allowed to bleed their patients, leech their patients, give them a good shave, and perform tooth pulling. Professional surgeons were the ones prescribing serious medicines and performing more serious surgeries. The 1700s started to see dentistry set apart gradually as its own distinct profession. Dentistry in Early America John Baker was the first medically trained dentist in America, arriving in 1760 as an immigrant from England. Paul Revere is probably the most famous of the early American dentists, and he used to place ads in the Boston newspaper offering his services as a dentist. At the Battle of Breed’s Hill in 1776, Paul Revere took a step further for his country by using his dental skills to verify that the mouth bridge in a dead body that was unidentifiable was one of his own creation. He remembered who he’d constructed that particular bridge for, and was able to identify his dead comrade, Dr. Joseph Warren. This was the first time that it is recorded when dental forensics were used to identify a victim. Age of Inventions There were so many inventions and technologies that developed with the growth of dentistry in the United States. The first dental foot engine, which was the early version of a tooth drill, was developed by John Greenwood, son of the first American-born dentist Isaac Greenwood. He was one of George Washington’s dentists. In the same year, 1790, Josiah Flagg built the first specially designed chair for dental work from a wooden Windsor chair, an attached headrest, and an arm extension where instruments could rest. Healthy teeth mean a happier you, so as you consider further the depths of early American dentistry, make sure you’re finding yourself quality dentists in Fairbanks, Alaska, who can help you stay healthy.
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