A haircut and dental appointment in one visit – that’s how they multi-tasked in the Middle Ages. When we asked a well-known local cosmetic dentist San Diego-based Dr. San Aye Tin explained that during medieval times, local barbers practiced the basics of dentistry as a side benefit for their hair-cutting clients. However, not your everyday peasant would benefit from this kind of two-for-one deal. It was an added bonus often only available to wealthy clients. A person of wealth could go in for a shave and a haircut and get a tooth pulled, all in one sitting.

As there was no anesthetic in those days, they commonly used alcohol. But once the extraction was done, toothache was gone, the result was a great blessing. (teeth whitening and dental implants San Diego cosmetic dentists tell us however, became available much later). Medieval people also used tooth extraction to treat other health problems, and we know now that gum disease can spread throughout the body and cause health problems which do not seem at all related to dental issues at first.

Local San Diego dentists point out that it was quite understandable, in a sense, that barbers would perform dental duties, since they were the ones already equipped with sharp knives and razors in their profession. Eventually the barbers divided themselves into two groups: one group specialized in general routine practices of oral hygiene, tooth extraction and bleeding - the other group was more educated and trained in the surgical techniques necessary to perform more complex operations.

These 17th and 18th centuries dental specials developed dental keys, which were tooth extraction instruments. According to a top local San Diego cosmetic dentist, these keys looked like door keys, except that the end piece was a pincer, or claw, which was tightened over the tooth. The key was then twisted to loosen the tooth to prepare it for extraction. Over time, improvements were made to reduce damage to neighboring teeth, jaw fractures, and gum injuries. By the 19th century, dental keys were replaced with modern forceps, and also, novocaine became available as well as a variety of other anesthetics.

17th century French doctor Pierre Fauchard is man dubbed “Father of Modern Dentistry”. He developed artificial teeth and dental fillings, and discovered the causal connection between sugar and tooth decay. The first dental school in the world began in Baltimore, MD in 1840, and the first dental school connected with a university began in 1867 – the Harvard Dental School. In Britain, dentistry was created as a separate profession in 1878, with laws which restricted the terms dentist and dental surgeon to trained and registered practitioners. In 1880, the British Dental Association was formed and did major work in formalizing modern dentistry through standards and regulations.

The dental profession has come a long way from its humble origins in barbers’ chairs when local barbers used to be responsible for dental procedures - now these procedures are performed by highly trained and skilled dental professionals. For more information about standard and cosmetic dentistry, please visit http://eastlakedentistry.com/ today to learn more.