Story of America Cards

Early Dentists

Ok it's Dentist time!, and when i mean this, You're going to be lucky that you live in this state of age with dentists because back then there was nothing to numb out the pain and no DRILLS!. So thank you for coming here to be traumatized in the form of me speaking of the topic.

We are talking about the Early Days of dentistry with Early Dentists in the Daily life section of the story of america cards.

(What are Dentists?)

A dentist, also known as a dental surgeon, is a healthcare professional who specializes in dentistry; which focuses on the teeth, gums and mouth, they do diagnosis, prevention, management, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity with other other aspects of the craniofacial.

Ok now let's get on with the painful history of dentistry! (This is your chance to back out....are you staying ok let's get going!).

(Pliers Instead of Drills!)

During colonial days and on into the 19th century, when a child complained of a toothache its mother would place a clove (which is a type of plant and herb) in her child's mouth and hope that its strong, spicy taste would dull the pain.

If the pain persisted, the child was taken to the local barber or village Blacksmith (Yes you heard that right a Blacksmith).

Only in rare cases was the neighborhood physician available, much less a trained dentist who could fill a cavity. Using a hefty metal tool, such as a pair of pliers or a clamp, the blacksmith or barber simply grasped the offending tooth firmly and gave a vigorous yank. (Definitely something my grandpa did with my sister's tooth....I'll get into that later since it's "dental" related).

No anesthetics existed then to dull the pain, and so the child had no choice but to endure it.

Because of this crude practice of dental care, most of the colonists had few teeth let by the time they reached 40. But as the 19th century advanced, dentistry came into its own and began to reach the stature of a true profession.

Two dentists from Baltimore, Maryland, Horace Hayden and Captain A. Harris, led development. In 1939 Harris was largely responsible for starting the American Journal of Dental Science, which for 20 years maintained a high standard for the new profession.

In 1840 the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery became the first institution to teach dental students, with Hayden as its first president and Harris its first dean. That same year Hayden helped found the American Society of Dental Surgeons, the world's first national dental organization.

Then, in 1844, Horace Wells, a dentist in Hartford, Connecticut, began using an anesthetic; nitrous oxide, (which is laughing gas), successfully in his work, Two years later William Morton, another dentist, used sulphuric ether (Which Diethyl ether) for the same purpose.

Anesthesia made possible the painless extraction of teeth, but did not come into general use until about 1860, Meanwhile, the early crude tools used for tooth extractions were abandoned in favor of new well-balanced "anatomical" forceps.

To fill cavities gold foil was considered the best material until the mid-1800s (so I'm guessing this was made for Gold Teeth).

An amalgam containing silver and mercury had been introduced in the 1820s, but it was thought to cause mercury poisoning and was deplored by many prominent dentists.

Dentist, J. Foster Flagg improved on this material in 1877, however, and soon more and more dentists were using it.

In 1895, G.V Black, deviated an amalgam that neither shrank nor expanded upon setting, Finally in 1907, William H. Taggart introduced a practical method of casting gold inlays under pressure.

(My Grandpa Pulled my sister's tooth out)

So I don't really have anything else to say about dentists so how about as an extra fact, I'll tell you a story, (Sister not approved) although this is coming from what I remember from it which is only little and I was there, her screaming and crying was really all I remember completely.

But i think this was around when i was 6 or 7, as from looking up this is about my sister's loose tooth and we were both born on the same day (August 26th), so she was the same age as me, but she was starting to have her baby teeth come out, so we visited my Grandparents from my dad's side of the family, and my Grandpa (Who is now deceased and the only grandpa i know because my mom's father passed away before i was born), But he pulled out my sister's tooth with his bare hand....Just pulled it out....Yep that happened and I think you can tell my sister's reaction of what happened after.

Kind of like if you know Black Butler, it reminds you of why Ciel doesn't let Sebastian check his teeth, because he pulled it out, if you know what I'm talking about I think you'll understand that part in the manga.

But you see apparently my Grandpa has been the family tooth pullers for a long time, because I also remember when I think it was my grandma (My dad's mother), or was it my dad, but one of them showed a bag of my dad's baby teeth they kept (Bag of baby teeth, yep), Yeah i think it was my grandma because she would definitely keep something like that from her child and properly any grandparent.

You know telling this story here is making me think that I probably can be considered traumatic parts from my dad's side of the family, usually a lot of stuff happens over there and my grandpa (Long story, Let me be real, My dad's side of the family.....is pretty crazy). And it's also my side of the family I got the history cards from too.

(Ending)

Ok so after I told me my family history on that for no reason because this is my video and i wanted to talk about, but It's time we end this history card topic, so i hope you liked the history part or got a little funny kick in the same story i told, But let's get into something more happy and fun with the next set of cards, I'm gonna go on Parlor Games and the beginning of the TV so if that interests you stayed toon, and check out the other I do....Bye.