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January 29, 2009

Brush Those Teeth.

Thursday Thirteen

I wasn’t looking forward to today because I had both dentist and doctor appointments. I loathe all that poking and prodding. Not nice! Anyhow, I survived the experience and decided to do my TT on dentist related things.

Thirteen Things About Dentists and Teeth

1. French dentists were the first Europeans to promote the use of toothbrushes in the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries.

2. Hard to believe, but most Americans did not brush their teeth until Army soldiers brought their enforced habits of tooth brushing back home after World War II.

3. Toothpaste was used as long ago as 500 BC in both China and India; however, modern toothpastes were developed in the 1800s.

4. Cavities are holes in our teeth created by the wear, tear, and decay of tooth enamel.

5. False teeth date back as far as 700 BC. The Etruscans designed false teeth out of ivory and bone that were secured into the mouth by gold bridgework.

6. In the days when dentures weren’t invented yet, dentists would implant teeth in the mouth of a person. The teeth came from dead people!

7. In the 1800s, all kinds of teeth bleaching agents were used with varied results. In the 1900s, dentists paired hydrogen peroxide with a bleaching light to whiten teeth, but several treatments were needed to see results. Two dentists, Dr. Haywood and Dr. Heymann, came up with the idea of using carbamide peroxide as a whitening agent — and at-home bleaching trays were invented.

8. Roughly 8,000 years before Novocaine and some 7,300 years before they could even swig whiskey to dull the pain, prehistoric patients were having holes drilled into their teeth with drill bits carved from stone. The researchers think the dental work may have been done to ease pain, since four of the teeth showed signs of decay and the jaw of at least one individual showed signs of massive infection.

9. During the Battle of Waterloo people who scavenged from the dead on the battlefields carried a sturdy pair of pliers. These individuals weren’t only on the lookout for the more traditional items, such as money and jewellery, but for a rather more unlikely prize as well…human teeth.

10. Keeping those toothy pearls pretty and in place is a booming multibillion-dollar industry. There are about 3,000 patented toothbrushes on the market, with handles that look like running shoes and heads like precious power tools; and some that squirt, and others on timers, and some that ”deplaque” with sonic whiners.

11. Dentures reduce chewing power about 20 percent, depriving their owners of many foods that may be healthy like apples, corn on the cob and tree bark.

12. 1910—The first formal training program for dental nurses is established at the Ohio College of Dental Surgery by Cyrus M. Wright. The program is discontinued in 1914 mainly due to opposition by Ohio dentists.

13. A No Frills Dentist Appointment

The Smiths were shown into the dentist’s office, where Mr. Smith made it clear he was in a big hurry.

“No fancy stuff, Doctor,” he ordered, “No gas or needles or any of that stuff. Just pull the tooth and get it over with.”

“I wish more of my patients were as stoic as you,” said the dentist admiringly. “Now, which tooth is it?”

Mr. Smith turned to his wife Sue. “Show him, honey.”

I’ll admit my favorite part of a dentist appointment is the end when I’m safely out the door and done for another year. Do you enjoy visiting the dentist? Do you have many fillings? They say that all our toothpastes, floridated water etc has made our teeth better, so an unscientific survey–do your kids have many fillings compared to you at the same age?

22 Comments

  1. Ms Menozzi

    I can’t help with the survey – no kids! But my niece actually had to have several teeth pulled when she was only about five years old – her baby teeth were rotting out of her head, for reasons that have never been properly explained, to me. The poor kid was totally toothless while her friends were getting tooth fairy visits. It was just awful! She doesn’t seem to remember much about it, now. Thank goodness…

    Interesting stuff in your TT, though. ;)

    Ciao!
    Happy TT!

  2. Sandra Cox

    Good blog! Interesting stuff.

  3. Sandra Cox

    Glad you survived the doctor and dentist. Whew.

  4. Adelle Laudan

    I hate a dentist. BIG time lol My girls went a couple of months ago for yearly check up. They BOTH had 3 small cavities in the SAME teeth What are the odds of that?
    Taking my youngest in a couple of weeks to see about braces. $$$$ ouch!
    Happy T13!

  5. Vicky Cormier

    I really hate the dentist and I have been going since I was 5 years old. My teeth really are not that bad but I am just a baby about going. I now go every 3 months for cleanings so I can avoid other, really scary stuff. With that said, I am really glad I did not live in the past. I can’t imagine going and saying to pull a tooth without medicine. OMG!!!

  6. Jennifer Shirk

    I HATE the dentist! Well, actually I love my dentist, but I HATE going to him. LOL

    I floss and brush 2 to 3 times a day and have the worst teeth. I think it’s genetic. :sad:

  7. Susan Helene Gottfried

    My dentist is handsome, gentle, and a member of my health club. Hard not to like him!

    But that line about dentures … yipes. I’m going to go upstairs and brush now…

  8. julia

    I don’t hate the dentist, but I haven’t had dental coverage in about a decade, so this year will be my first visit in forever. Glad yours is over and done with.

    I’ve got your book review for ‘Wanderlust’ up.

  9. Brenda ND

    Wow, really? People in America didn’t brush until after WW2? I didn’t know that. Happy TT!

  10. Jennifer McKenzie

    I’m more nervous when my kids have an appointment than they are. They are awesome. Me, not so much.
    I don’t like the dentist.

  11. Amy Ruttan

    No, it’s not my favorite thing.

    As a child I hated the flouride treatment, 5 mins felt like an hour. It’s a lot easier on the kids now.

    They want to remove my wisdom teeth, they keep nagging me, but the wisdom teeth don’t bother me at all. No headaches, no TMJ, nothing. The thing is it’ll be over 2000 smackaroos to pull the four and I think that’s why they’re bugging me so much.

  12. Stephanie Adkins

    I hate going to the Dentist. I’d rather go to the Gynocologist anyday. LOL! Happy Thursday! *hugs*

  13. Lia Morgan

    I HATE the dentist. There isn’t anything I dread more than that. If they would stop being so stingy with the gas maybe I could relax enough to stay in the chair.

    I had bottle mouth as a baby and had many dental appointments as a child. I think that may have something to do with the hatred.

  14. Paige Tyler

    Interesting facts! I hate going to the dentist, even though he’s really nice and super gentle!

    *hugs*
    Paige

    My TT is at http://tinyurl.com/4zejcp

  15. Alice Audrey

    What the the soldiers at Waterloo do with the teeth?

  16. Shelley Munro

    I’m so glad I’m not alone in my dislike of the dentist. My dislike goes back to childhood when I had a lot of cavities. I’m sure my dentist is very nice, or at least he seems nice. :grin:

    Alice – they would sell the teeth to dentists or rich people who wanted a set of false teeth. I’ve also heard of poor people having all their teeth pulled and selling them to raise money.

  17. Heather

    Hate the dentist. With a passion.

  18. Ashley Ladd

    I need to go to the dentist but dread it.

  19. Mel

    HEck no, I can’t stand going to the dentist. Then again, the dentist was the one that wanted to break my jaw and realign it. Turns out he was wrong, I just have a long chin, but still… *shudder*

  20. Thomma Lyn

    Ha! Fascinating list. I learned a lot!

    I don’t like going to the dentist, but I really need to go. It’s been a while. :???:

  21. Shelley Munro

    I put off my dentist visits for ages. The only time I’ll go willingly is when a filling drops out. Not only do my teeth hurt by the end of a visit, my wallet hurts, too!