A Trip To The Dentist in the 19th Century!

Tom Hughes

Sergeant Major
Joined
May 27, 2019
Location
Mississippi
Yesterday, I was relic hunting at a 19th century site in Mississippi and found the remains of what I believe are tooth extractor pliers.
This relic reveals a grim look at what it meant to go to the dentist in the 1800's....Ouch!
If you had a toothache back then you would probably be paying a visit to the local barber or blacksmith who also doubled as a dental surgeon. He would be the one to pull your tooth. A tooth could be pulled for as little as 25 cents but if you were one with some money then some opium would help ease the painful visit.
Of course, infection was always a problem to be dealt with after the procedure, which could even result in death.

Although this is just 1/2 of the tooth pliers, it paints a painful picture of what our ancestors faced when their teeth started hurting.
Makes me glad to be living in the year 2019!

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I guess people were just tough as nails back "in the day".
people are just tougher than we think in general. i have had aggressive chemo to the point of needing blood transfusions to stay alive. bone marrow biopsies. liver biopsies. spinal taps. root canals. and more . i have friends who have had their breast bone split and spread open for heart surgery and also electro shock therapy. the show ridiculessness has videos of people pulling teeth with pliers and weird things like a string pulled by a motorcycle . i saw one guy use a nail gun to nail his privates to a board ! some folks are tough and some feint at the sight of blood . just nature.
 
As my significant other is a dentist, of course this thread caught my eye.
Dentistry in the 19th century was further advanced than we may think!
I found this very interesting article, here comes a teaser:
The nineteenth century saw the rise of dentistry as a distinct profession, with its own practitioners, techniques, and standards. The emphasis of dental care shifted from simply removing painful teeth to trying to avoid extractions by filling cavities. By the end of the century, preventive dentistry sought ways to keep the cavities from developing in the first place. Nineteenth-century dentists were the first professionals to use anesthetic drugs, a development that made modern surgery possible.
[...]
The famous patriot Paul Revere was a silversmith, and also made false teeth. He initiated the science of forensic dentistry by recognizing his own work and thereby identifying the skull of Dr. Joseph Warren, killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill. The first native-born American dentist, Josiah Flagg, practiced a wide variety of dental techniques including gold fillings, orthodontics, root canal, and even oral surgery to correct harelip. He also invented the first dental chair, by fitting an ordinary wooden chair with an adjustable headrest and an extended arm to hold his instruments.
 
While researching dental tools and dentistry in the 19th century, it became "painfully" clear to me that it was not a pleasant experience. When I was a child we would joke about pulling a loose tooth by tying a string to the tooth and a door knob and then slamming the door. Of course, we never tried this but it was always discussed among us kids as something to try. Little did we know how close we were to early dental practices....Hahahaha.
 
W.C. Fields did a two reeler in the early 30's entitled "The Dentist." It's a classic if you're a fan of Fields. I always ask everyone in my dental practice if they've ever seen it (as a dental "test")....the problem with where I go now and what my insurance pays for, the staff constantly changes and it really helps if you speak Spanish or Vietnamese cause just about everyone in there speaks broken English. And none of the dental assistants don't know what a belt driven drill was or a swirly spit bowl/cuspidor.....
 
While researching dental tools and dentistry in the 19th century, it became "painfully" clear to me that it was not a pleasant experience. When I was a child we would joke about pulling a loose tooth by tying a string to the tooth and a door knob and then slamming the door. Of course, we never tried this but it was always discussed among us kids as something to try. Little did we know how close we were to early dental practices....Hahahaha.
This was recommended here tooo, when the milk teeth stated to get loose... but I must admit, I always lacked the courage to try that!
@donna, I do synpathize with that!! I hate going to the dentist, even when it is Dirk. Thing is, while all the other patients are treated with special care and empathy, so that my colleagues are all charmed and tell me again and again how they lost all fear since they started going to Dirk for their dentists appointments, I'm expected to be exceptionally brave to set an example. And I'm such a coward!!! I'm going to have dental surgery on Aug. 30, and I'm already dying for fear of it!
 
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While researching dental tools and dentistry in the 19th century, it became "painfully" clear to me that it was not a pleasant experience. When I was a child we would joke about pulling a loose tooth by tying a string to the tooth and a door knob and then slamming the door. Of course, we never tried this but it was always discussed among us kids as something to try. Little did we know how close we were to early dental practices....Hahahaha.
Any relation to the English author Thomas Hughes? Just wondering because of your interest in the 19th century and the name?
 
This ws recommended vere tooo, when the milk teeth stated to get loose... but I must admit, I always lCked the courage to try that!
@donna, I do synpathuze with that!! I hate going to the dentist, even when it is Dirk. Thing is, while all the other patients are treated with special care and empathy, so that my colleagues are all charmed and tell me again and agaon how they lost all fear since they started going to Dirk for their dentists Appointments, I'm expected to be exceptionally brave to set an example. And I'm such a coward!!! I'm going to have dental surgery on Aug. 30, and I'm slready dying for fear of it!
Hope all goes well for you August 30th. I know it can be difficult.
 
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