For most people it is quite natural to treat a visit to the dentist with some apprehension but imagine what it must have been like back in prehistoric times. Our ancestors would have to have been in considerable pain to even consider having teeth filled or extracted without the benefit of modern anaesthetics or painkilling drugs. In the Tuscany region of northern Italy scientists have unearthed human teeth from 13,000 years ago that show clear signs that cavemen had dental work done but it was, to say the least, primitive.
The incisors and canine teeth were microscopically analysed and showed signs of having been modified including:
– Chipping
– Evidence of having been filled with tar
– Plant fibres and hair inside the teeth
This evidence comes from a recent internet article in which scientists surmised that the teeth “may have come from someone who had visited a prehistoric dentist”. Thanks to modern dental techniques a visit to the dentist is now a painless experience and we can smile at how it must have been back in the mists of time. To find out how bad things were in the Stone Age you can read the full article at
http://gizmodo.com/going-to-the-caveman-dentist-was-probably-a-nightmare-1794128593.