How did people handle toothaches in ancient times?

BRY2K

From ancient times, clove oil has been one of the regular instant therapies. If you are not able to find the clove oil, then search your kitchen shelves to find out few cloves. Try to squeeze this towards the painful area. Clove being analgesic in nature will reduce the soreness. http://www.buzzle.com/articles/home-remedies-toothache-pain-relief.html Also, for a toothache, boil earthworms in oil and use the oil to put drops in your ear. Egyptians were among the first dentists. Hesy-Re was the earliest dentist known by name. He was the chief dentist and physician for Pharaoh Djoser in the 27th century BC. Various remedies for toothaches included dough, incense, and fennel seeds. The Egyptians also turned to superstition for help in preventing tooth pain. The mouse, which was considered to be protected by the sun and capable of fending off death, was often used by individuals with a toothache. A common remedy involved applying half of the body of a dead mouse to the aching tooth while the body was still warm. http://www.jirdc.org/Dental/Just_for_Fun/Tooth_Trivia/Teeth_Tales/teeth_tales.html Jul 13 08, 2:01 PM

zbeckabee

Some ancient civilizations believed that toothaches were caused by a "toothworm." The Aztecs of Mexico believed that you could get rid of toothworms by chewing on hot chili. An Indian surgeon (circa 650 A.D.), explained that toothworms could be killed by filling the tooth cavity with wax and then burning out the wax with a hot probe. While in ancient Rome, toothworms were expelled by fumigating the mouth with smoke, followed by rinsing. Islamic physician, Avicenna, (980-1037), also advocated fumigation for toothache. Pliny the Elder believed that curing a toothache was simple. He suggested catching a frog under a full moon, prying open the frog's mouth, spitting into it and saying, "Frog, go, and take my toothache with thee!" In Colonial times, Native Americans used the bark of trees to relieve a toothache. Other colonial remedies (1747 to 1751) included a month of fasting, chewing cloves; filling the cavity of aching teeth with a piece of garlic, a whole black peppercorn or some salt, or applying a poultice of dried mule's ear (wildflower) leaves. http://www.woodstockdentist.com/news/archive/06-11&12/left.htm Jul 13 08, 2:14 PM

jk18

The first toothbrushes were made from twigs. Ancient tooth powders were also used like: dried flowers, mice and even lizard livers.Some other common ways that people handled toothaches in the Ancient times had been; boiling worms in oil and put it in the ear, tie a frog to the jaw. http://www.jirdc.org/dental/Just_for_Fun/Tooth_Trivia/Teeth_Tales/teeth_tales.html Jul 15 08, 2:22 PM