Lizard powder, raven’s poop, or the fat of a green tree frog. Sounds like a disgusting nightmare 🤯, right? Welcome to oral care in its pre-Novocaine and pre-basic hygiene era.
The reason for these disturbing remedies (and often the charlatans practicing them) is simple: many cultures believed that toothaches were caused by small worms that had to be fought on a daily basis. We can laugh about the worms, but those of us familiar with the oral microbiome will see a surprising parallel – maintaining a healthy balance in the mouth can still feel like an everyday battle.
If you’re not sure what the microbiome is or what it has to do with anything, we have a comprehensive course by Dr. Doug Thompson and Chelsea Kiser, RDH to recommend you.
Already a microbiome master and in the mood for some more historical heresies? Here’s a nice summary of The Excruciating History of Dentistry.
Fun fact: The Tooth Fairy took a very long sabbatical during the Middle Ages, because she just couldn't deal with the charlatans making mouths into biohazard scenes.
„You have teeth like a Viking.” While it might be a surprisingly cool compliment for a child, for an adult, it's a very different, potentially insulting story. Find out why in this article about the wild world of Viking oral care.
There will be no archaic and outdated practices on show during our Chit-Chat Live week. We put together a dream team of high-performing oral care professionals and paired them together for 4 different events to dissect the future of oral health.
If you are reading this email, you have free access to all four events. Grab your spot(s), seats are limited.
