At Comfort Dental Centre Buderim, we think that teeth, your mouth, and dental care are truly fascinating, and so are their history, historical beliefs, and dental trivia.
So this post, we’re taking a break from our serious dental work and taking a quick look at some dental myths and some dental truths.
Dental Myths, Both Ancient And Modern
Dealing with a toothache. Toothaches have been treated for at least 5,000 years, and some of the treatments have been bizarre! Here are a few of the more peculiar approaches.
Mortal Remains. If removed the tooth of a dead person and wore it on your neck it would remove your tooth pain. If that was unsuccessful, you could try smelling the tooth of a corpse in hopes that the smell would make your toothache go away.
Frogs. If you couldn’t find a dead human, you could find a live frog. There are many versions of this myth. You could catch a toad and lick its belly, catch a frog and spit in its mouth, or, if that didn’t work, you could rub the frog on the side of your face of your toothache
Rabbit brain. This one is not for the faint of heart, but in some outlying areas of the USA, it was believed that a slice of fresh rabbit’s brain rubbed against a baby’s teeth would ease tooth pain. While this may seem ridiculous and gross, it is a testament to the pain that toothaches can cause that so many bizarre schemes to relieve dental pain were attempted.
Historical mouthwashes could be pretty strange as well. Here are just two:
Donkey’s Milk: In ancient Greece, donkey’s milk was used as a mouthwash to strengthen the gums and teeth.
Roman Mouthwash. Romans thought that gargling urine was a good mouthwash. In fact, this might make some sense. Urine contains ammonia, which is one of the best naturally occurring cleaning agents on the planet and also whitens teeth. Still, I think most of us would prefer a nice tasting over-the-counter mouthwash!
Brushing before a dental appointment will make the dentist overlook that regular brushing hasn’t been done. In fact, it may make it more obvious that you haven’t been brushing. Not brushing twice a day makes your gums red, swollen, and bleed easily. A vigorous brushing before an appointment may lead to temporarily increased bleeding and irritation.
White teeth are healthy teeth. As the old saying goes, you can’t judge a book by its cover. White teeth don’t necessarily mean healthy teeth. Multiple things can be wrong with gums and teeth, but still, be invisible to the naked eye. This is why regular check-ups, X-rays, intraoral cameras, and other diagnostic tools are important.
If your gums bleed, you should stop flossing. This is a terrible idea. Bleeding gums can be the first hint of gum disease. And flossing helps combat gum disease. So, if your gums are sensitive or bleeding, floss gently. But do be sure to floss!
Dentists only do teeth. Dentists are branching out! Many patients don’t know that dentists can now perform facial cosmetic procedures. Dentists now offer treatments like facial injectables, of which the most common ones are Restalyn and Botox.
Comfort Dental Centre Buderim, for instance, offers BTX-A injections to smooth out the appearance of your face.
Interesting Dental Facts
- The earliest dentist whose name is known was Hesi-Re, who practiced in Egypt over 5,000 years ago.
- Lucy Hobbs was the first licensed female dentist, receiving her license in 1866.
- Right-handers tend to chew their food on your right side. Left-handers tend to chew food on the left side.
- Teeth are like fingerprints, everyone has a unique set. Even so-called ‘identical twins’ have different “dental fingerprints”!
- Toothpaste can polish shoes! Everyone has had this happen – you go to put on a pair of shoes and you notice that they are scuffed. If you’re looking for a fast and convenient fix, just reach for non-gel toothpaste. Place a dab of it directly on the scuffing and gently rub gently with a soft, dry towel. Voila! Shiny, new-looking shoes!
The “Tooth Fairy” Overseas
Middle East
Kids in Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, and more throw their teeth up in the air toward the sun, asking the sun to send them better adult teeth in return for their gift.
Korea
In Korea, children throw their baby teeth to the roof, in hopes a blackbird will bring them a new tooth, and sing a song to commemorate the occasion that goes something like this: “My old tooth I give to you, bring me a new tooth.”
Comfort Dental Centre Buderim Cares
Comfort Dental Centre Buderim provides expert care for healthy, beautiful smiles. When you leave our office not only will you be happy with the treatment you received, but also how well you were treated.
We serve patients from Buderim and surrounding areas with top-notch dentistry. Our dental practice in Buderim provides the highest quality of dental care, in a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere, with a commitment to excellent customer service.
Call us on (07) 5370 8865 or visit us at T204B 32 Wises Road, Buderim