Dentistry in Ancient Egypt

dentistry is a profession that began in Ancient Egypt more than five thousand years ago. The first evidence of dental work was found in some of the earliest Egyptian mummies. As you may know, only rich Egyptians were mummified after death. And these were the only people who could afford dental work.

The most common dental procedures in early Egypt were not surprisingly quite simple. More often than not, a tooth was simply extracted by a doctor or dental specialist. However, we do know that more complex procedures were occasionally attempted. Evidence of drilling in plates of jawbones has been documented.

Why did early Egyptian dentists drill? Most historians believe that drilling was done to relieve the pressure caused by an abscessed tooth. The Egyptian people had a diet that was tough on the teeth. And without any brushes or floss, they had no way to prevent the buildup of plaque or to stop infections.

But, as we mentioned, extraction was clearly the most common dental procedure. We know this because forceps can be found in the pictographs of the Ancient Egyptians.

The most complete record of dentistry in Egyptian times is a papyrus that was uncovered during the exploration of a tomb in 1862. This early medical reference book lists hundreds of simple remedies and is over five thousand years old. In this ancient text, eleven remedies relate to common problems with the teeth, such as tooth aches.