Dentistry - Way back then

[Mutley]

I have recently found a dentist in my tree in the 1830's and have been googling for hours. I am amazed at what our ancestors went through.

Fillings were often mercury and many of our ancestors that died in asylums could have been suffering from mercury poisoning.

Poor people were paid to have their healthy teeth removed and inserted into the waiting mouths of rich patients! Though this practice died out when it was found syphilis could be transmitted this way.

Did you know that many dentists then, were self taught tooth drawers, anybody could set themselves up to do 'it' and it was often the job of a barber or the village blacksmith. By 1800 there were still relatively few dentists in England: about 40 operated in London and 20 in the provinces.

Dentists have the highest rate of suicides over any other profession.

The first reclining chair was invented in 1832 by James Snell, a London dentist.
The British Dentists Act regulating the profession did not come into force until 1878 and was not fully regulated until the 1921 Act.
Ether was first used as an anesthesia in 1844 in America.

No wonder we are so scared of dentists, it is in our genes

[Mutley]

Not to forget 'Waterloo teeth', Mutley - those pulled from the mouths of battlefield corpses, and made into dentures!

Oooh!! I read that bit too, Gory indeed!!

One of the more unusual books on my shelves is The Strange Story of False Teeth, by John Woodforde. Long out of print, but well worth reading should you ever see a copy.

You never cease to amaze and delight! What are you doing with that book, may I ask? You must have a story attached to your purchase.

[Mutley]

[MarkJ]

As a dentist-phobic, I only just managed to read this thread

Strange isn't it that some of my Crapp ancestors who emigrated to Australia ended up as dentists! Likewise, my grandfather was a blacksmith - yet I am quite wary of horses!

Another little note - seeing Mutleys little false teeth thing above - I actually thought my mums false teeth were hinged like that! I was in my late twenties at least before I worked that out

Mark

[v.wells]

After we came to Canada I remember my mother's teeth were so bad that she had them all removed. At that time (1950's) it probably took a month before she could wear her new dentures. I was always frightened of her without her teeth even when she got old.

[v.wells]

They used to make little wind up toys with these things that "clacked"

[Jan1954]

Even as late as the 1950s, people in England would have perfectly good teeth removed and dentures fitted "for their 21st birthday".

Mr Daft Bat used to work in the field of dentistry and would tell me some really 'orrible stories!

By the way, if anyone ever has the chance to visit the Beamish Open Air museum near Newcastle upon Tyne, there is a street that has been reconstructed to show how things looked in the 19th century. One of the houses has been fitted out as a dentist's surgery - complete with original equipment. The frightening thing was that, some of the equipment that I saw, I remember my butch... er.. I mean dentist using on me as a child. However,the museum is well worth the visit.

[Sue Mackay]

This is taken from the South African Commercial Advertiser for 9 Feb 1831.

DENTAL SURGERY
Mr. CARTER will continue to perform any operation pertaining to Dental Surgery at his own house, daily, from 8 till 13 (Saturdays excepted) – that day he intends giving up entirely to the Poor.
Mr. CARTER is now prepared to supply any deficiency in the mouth by the application of Natural Teeth, and he hopes many weeks will not elapse before he has a large supply of the much approved Terra Metallic Teeth which he intends to fix on an improved plan, from one single tooth to a complete set.

Bet those with Terra Metallic Teeth looked like James Bond villains

[Colin Moretti]

... I actually thought my mums false teeth were hinged like that! I was in my late twenties at least before I worked that out

Mark

I think you had read too many comics as a boy, especially the Dandy and Beano.

Colin

[susan-y]

Even though every tooth in mouth is now hurting ( including the new false one) this is certainly a nice change from all our ag labs

Sue