Fun Fact: The Ancient Egyptians Had Specialists for Dental Problems

When you cast your mind back to ancient Egypt, images of towering pyramids, enigmatic pharaohs, and intricate hieroglyphs likely dance in your head. You might even ponder the mysteries of mummification. But have you ever considered what happened when an ancient Egyptian had a raging toothache? It might seem like a thoroughly modern misery, yet the civilization that flourished along the Nile had its own ways of dealing with dental distress, and remarkably, they even had individuals who focused specifically on these very problems.

The Gritty Reality of Ancient Egyptian Smiles

Life in ancient Egypt, for all its advancements, could be tough on the teeth. A primary offender was their daily bread. The process of grinding grain into flour using stone querns inevitably introduced tiny particles of sand, grit, and stone into the mix. Imagine, day after day, meal after meal, chewing on bread with a sandy texture. The consequences were predictable and severe: extreme dental attrition. Teeth were often worn down, sometimes right to the sensitive pulp. This abrasion didn’t just flatten the chewing surfaces; it could also wear down the sides of teeth where they met, creating gaps where food could become trapped, leading to further complications. Evidence from countless mummies paints a clear, and often painful, picture. These ancient individuals suffered from a litany of dental woes. Worn teeth frequently led to exposed nerves, resulting in excruciating pain and infections. Dental abscesses were commonplace, forming pockets of pus at the roots of teeth or in the gums. Periodontal disease, or gum disease, was also rampant, causing inflammation, bone loss around the teeth, and ultimately, tooth loss. While cavities (dental caries) might have been slightly less prevalent than in our modern sugar-saturated diets, they certainly existed, particularly in the fissures of molars and between teeth. Occasionally, even cysts and tumors of the jaw have been identified by paleopathologists studying Egyptian remains.

Enter the “Tooth Specialists”

So, with this array of dental disasters waiting to strike, who did an ancient Egyptian turn to for relief? It appears they had designated people for just such occasions. Perhaps the most renowned of these early figures is Hesy-Re, an official who lived and worked during Egypt’s Third Dynasty, around 2600 BCE. This wasn’t some late-stage development in Egyptian history; Hesy-Re was active during the Old Kingdom, a time when the iconic pyramids of Giza were still being conceptualized or under construction. Inscriptions found within his lavish tomb describe him with impressive titles, including “Chief of Dentists and Physicians” and “Chief of the King’s Scribes.” The phrase often translated as “Chief of Dentists” – “Wer-ibeh-senew” – literally means something like “Great one of the toothers and doctors,” clearly indicating a recognized specialization in oral ailments that was distinct enough to warrant its own title, and one that could be combined with general medical authority. Hesy-Re isn’t an isolated case. Other, perhaps less grand, titles relating to dental work also appear in ancient Egyptian records. Terms like “iry-ibew,” which can be interpreted as “one concerned with teeth,” “tooth-worker,” or “tooth-fixer,” suggest a broader stratum of practitioners who dealt with oral health. These individuals weren’t merely general physicians who occasionally looked at a sore tooth; their titles imply a specific focus and, presumably, a particular set of skills or knowledge related to the mouth.

Whispers from the Papyri

Further evidence for this specialized attention comes from ancient medical texts. The famous Ebers Papyrus (circa 1550 BCE) and the Edwin Smith Papyrus (circa 1600 BCE), both believed to be copies of even older documents, contain sections discussing dental problems and their prescribed treatments. These venerable texts list remedies for issues such as loose teeth, gum inflammation (“benut”), oral ulcers, and generalized tooth pain. For example, the Ebers Papyrus offers a remedy for “a tooth that gnaws an opening in the flesh,” involving ingredients like powdered fruit of the “gebh” plant, honey, and ochre, mixed into a paste. Another prescription for a “throbbing in the tooth” called for a mixture of dough, honey, oil, and an unidentified mineral. The existence of such documented treatments within larger medical compendia underscores that dental ailments were recognized, categorized, and treated with specific formulations, forming a distinct branch of their medical knowledge.

What Could These Ancient Practitioners Actually Do?

Now, it’s crucial to temper our expectations. Don’t envision a sterile, modern dental clinic equipped with high-speed drills, x-ray machines, and specialized ergonomic chairs. The ancient Egyptian “dental surgery” was likely far more rudimentary. Their treatments, as gleaned from the papyri and archaeological findings, largely revolved around managing symptoms and providing palliative care. A significant portion of their efforts would have involved the application of various poultices and rinses. These were concocted from a range of natural ingredients, many of which had empirical, if not scientifically understood, benefits. Honey, for instance, was a frequent component, valued for its soothing qualities and, as we now know, its potent antibacterial properties. Other common ingredients included figs, dates, celery, onions, beans, various herbs like cumin, and mineral substances such as powdered green frit or malachite. These would be applied directly to inflamed gums or packed into an aching tooth to try and reduce pain, combat swelling, or “draw out” infection. For the excruciating pain of a dental abscess, they might attempt to drain the accumulated pus. This could involve a simple incision with a bronze or flint knife, providing immediate, albeit temporary, relief from the pressure. However, without a true understanding of antisepsis, even such a minor intervention carried a significant risk of worsening the infection.

Archaeological findings and ancient texts, including renowned medical papyri like the Ebers and Edwin Smith papyri, confirm that ancient Egyptians recognized and attempted to treat a variety of dental ailments. Some individuals held distinct titles specifically related to teeth, such as ‘Chief of Dentists’ or ‘one who deals with teeth,’ clearly indicating a recognized level of specialization within their broader medical practices. While their methods and understanding were rudimentary by today’s standards, focusing primarily on symptom relief rather than complex cures, this early specialization is a fascinating chapter in medical history.

What about more invasive procedures, like extractions or fillings? The evidence here is much scarcer and more debated. Extractions were undoubtedly a last resort, incredibly risky due to the likelihood of uncontrolled bleeding, severe infection, and jaw fracture with the tools available. While some mummies do show signs of tooth removal (ante-mortem tooth loss), it’s often difficult to determine if this was a deliberate therapeutic extraction by a practitioner or if the tooth simply fell out due to advanced disease or trauma. The concept of drilling out decay and placing a filling, as we understand it, was entirely absent. There are a few very rare examples of mummies with teeth bound together with gold or silver wire, or even individual teeth with what appear to be rudimentary “fillings” of resin or mineral paste. However, many scholars believe these interventions were either very experimental, limited to the absolute elite, or possibly even applied post-mortem for cosmetic reasons, to ensure the deceased presented a complete and perfect form for their journey into the afterlife. The integrity of the body was paramount for resurrection, after all.

Tools of a Bygone Trade

When it comes to the specific tools used by these ancient dental specialists, we haven’t unearthed a dedicated “dental kit” akin to what a modern dentist employs. There are no discoveries of long-handled mirrors, specialized probes designed for teeth, or forceps crafted for extractions from that period. If they did perform minor surgical procedures like lancing an abscess or attempting a precarious extraction, they likely utilized general medical instruments of the time – small knives, probes, and perhaps basic forceps made of bronze. Their primary “toolkit” was their pharmacopoeia, derived from nature’s bounty, combined with whatever manual dexterity they possessed. It’s also important to remember that Egyptian medicine was deeply intertwined with magic and religious beliefs. A physician, including one dealing with teeth, might also have employed incantations, amulets, or appeals to specific deities thought to have influence over ailments. The god Horus, for example, was sometimes invoked for problems related to the eyes and teeth. So, the treatment for a toothache might have been a blend of a herbal poultice and a magical spell.

A Legacy of Recognition

Looking back from our vantage point of advanced dental science, it’s easy to see the severe limitations faced by ancient Egyptian dental practitioners. Without anesthesia beyond perhaps opium or copious amounts of alcohol, and lacking any concept of germ theory or modern surgical hygiene, their ability to truly “fix” complex dental problems was minimal. Many of their treatments were aimed at easing pain and managing symptoms rather than providing definitive cures or preventative care. Yet, the very fact that ancient Egyptian society recognized dental issues as a distinct field of suffering, important enough to warrant individuals who specialized in addressing them, is truly remarkable for its time. This early acknowledgement of a medical specialty, however basic its application, represents an important, if tiny, foundational stone in the long and fascinating history of dental care. It shows a level of observation and a desire to alleviate suffering that speaks volumes about their approach to health and well-being, even thousands of years ago. So, the next time you settle into a modern dental chair, spare a thought for Hesy-Re and his contemporaries, grappling with the gritty problems of their day with the limited means at their disposal.