If you’ve ever thought that you’d like a prettier smile, you’re not alone. Ever since people figured out how to recognize their own reflections, they have sought ways to achieve more beautiful and attractive smiles. Ancient cultures used a variety of methods to achieve more visually pleasing grins, and while they could sometimes be successful, they were often painful, destructive, or otherwise unpleasant. Here are a few of the ways ancient people tried to achieve prettier teeth so you can appreciate how clean, painless, and effective modern cosmetic dentistry is.
Ancient Dental Restorations
Tooth loss and dental injuries have always been common oral health problems, and ancient cultures developed a few ways of addressing them. In 700 B.C., the Etruscans of what is today called Italy made dentures from ivory and bone that incorporated the teeth of animals or dead humans. For their part, the ancient Egyptians made dental crowns and bridges out of gold. The people of Pharoah’s realm also had their version of dental implants, which were shards of seashells hammered into patients’ gums. These primitive implants were sometimes quite successful.
The Romans Wanted Their Teeth Flush with One Another
Modern professional teeth whitening treatments are effective, safe, painless, and entirely sanitary. The Ancient Romans, on the other hand, had a fairly effective but totally gross teeth whitening treatment that was at least readily available to citizens of all social classes. By rinsing their mouths with their own urine, the Romans were able to lift stains and whiten their teeth thanks to the ammonia this bodily fluid contains. Thankfully, modern cosmetic dentistry is completely urine-free and leaves your breath much fresher than this ancient whitening treatment would.
If You Want a Whiter Smile and Don’t Care About Tooth Decay, See a Medieval Barber
The medieval times were known for a range of cool things such as jousting tournaments and frightening woodcuts of werewolves and dragons, but their teeth whitening treatments left a lot to be desired. Medieval barbers handled their community’s grooming, surgery, and dentistry, and they would whiten patient’s smiles by roughing up their teeth with a file and treating them with nitric acid. While this would lift stains and whiten teeth, it did so by removing the outer layers of enamel, making smiles more vulnerable to injury and tooth decay.
Luckily, barbers today leave surgery and dentistry to people with doctorates. If you feel that you’d like a whiter, straighter, or better-shaped smile, consulting with your cosmetic dentist may help you find the appropriate treatment.
About the Author
Dr. Brad Weiss earned his dental degree at Indiana University’s School of Dentistry in Indianapolis and was there awarded the Dentsply Internation Merit Award for Prosthodontics. He is a member of the American Dental Association and a Fellow of the prestigious American College of Dentists. His office in Skokie, IL, offers general, restorative, emergency, and cosmetic dentistry. To schedule a cosmetic dental consultation, contact his office online or dial (847) 864-0188.