Middle Ages 1300s

Approximately 5th – 15th century AD - Tools commonly used (forceps and Pelican)

- Period of suffering for those who had - Guy de Chauliac made the Pelican (14th century)

toothaches

- Minor advancements made and go-to treatment 18th century

having a tooth forcibly and brutally removed. - Pelican was still in use until this century

- Equally painful “dental key” was invented

500-1000 BC

- Monks were everyone’s go-to dentist 20th century

- Modern forceps were finally used in dentistry

1130- 1163

- Pope issued an edict that stopped monks from 1530

performing any form of surgery. - First book focused on dentistry emerged from

- Barbers helps monks with surgeries, they took Germany

over from them and engaged in bloodletting, - “The Little Medicinal Book for All Kinds of

lancing abscesses, tooth extraction, etc. Diseases and Infirmities of the Teeth” by

Artzney Buchlein.

1210

- Guild of Barbers (France) 1563

- Barbers specialized in 2 areas - Bartolomeo Eustachi published the first

- Those who got educated could perform more accurate book on dental anatomy, “Libellus de

challenging and sophisticated procedures Dentibus”

- Those who did the more routine services- a cut, - Rampant of quacks

a shave, and a tooth pull. - Richest could afford an “operator for the teeth”

- But for everyone else, local blacksmith and

1400s “tooth drawer” would pull teeth

- Barbers could no longer practice the more - Dental hygiene was at all-time law (people

complex procedures: scrubbing their teeth with a piece of linen,

- Engaged only in bleeding, cupping, leeching, sponge, or toothpicks.

and tooth extraction. - Tooth decay was widespread and tooth

Extraction Medieval Dental Hygiene

- White teeth is a sign of beauty and wrote of

Medieval Dentistry sweet-smelling breath as a desirable attribute

- Mouthwash treatment for halitosis

- Dental health in Europe was surprisingly good: - Cleaned their teeth by rubbing their gums with

Upper classes = not just aware about good oral rough linen cloth
hygiene - Homemade toothpaste and mouthwash
- Pastes to clean and liquids to whiten their teeth

- Herbs, ashes of specific plants, and salts. Dental Problems

Commoners = generally had strong, healthy teeth as - Toothache as major problem
well - References for surgical intervention for oral
- Diets were very low in sugar and high in calcium cancer, treatment of fractures, dislocations and
mandibular fistulas.

Dentistry in Medieval Times - More common dental issue for medieval people

1. People used powders, toothpastes, treatments, is not decay but wear (eating ground bread

and even mouthwash daily- huge abrasion from the grit)

Actual Treatment
2. Own version of mouthwashes-made from herbs
- For toothache or abscess, usually went to
and spices steeped in wine and vinegar. Mint
barber surgeon, a “jack-of-all-trades” who cut
and cinnamon. Chewed on fennel seeds,
hair, performed minor surgery and pulled teeth.
parsley, and cloves.
Conventional Methods
3. Used sugar as seasoning or natural sugar in a
- Drying teeth with linen after eating
fruit or honey. Diet high calcium from dairy,
- Toothpaste made with sage and salt crystals
vegetables and cereals.
- Brushing teeth with powdered charcoal or
4. Simply rub their teeth and gums through linen.
crushed black pepper
Paste and powders might applied to cloth to
- Mouth rinses made with vinegar or wine and
clean and whiten teeth, as well as to freshen
aromatic spices to whiten teeth
breath. Some pastes were made from ground - Clove oil and opium for pain relief
sage mixed with salt crystals. - Teeth compromised by decay were commonly
pulled
Renaissance
- Invention of printing press
- Several medical books were published and some
of the sections included dentistry

Artzney Buchlein
- “The Little Medicinal Book for All Kinds of
Diseases and Infirmities of the Teeth”
- 1530
- Germany
- Oral hygiene, tooth extraction, teeth drilling and
placement of gold fillings

Pierre Fauchard (1678-1761)

- “Father of Modern Dentistry”
- “Le Chirurgien Dentiste” or The Surgeon
Dentist” (1723)
- About oral anatomy, function, oral pathology,
operative methods for decay removal,
restorative techniques, periodontal disease,
orthodontics, endodontics, and replacement of
missing teeth.
- Disproved “Tooth-worm Theory”
- Debunked Charlatans
*barber shop logo
Red (arterial blood)
Blue (venous)
White (bandage)