Tooth extraction can really kill you! From hammering teeth to minimally invasive techniques, here's a look at the evolution of human tooth extraction surgery!

Tooth extraction is a "terrifying" operation that has been performed since ancient times. Most of our fear today is due to the fear of pain.

But in the Middle Ages, tooth extraction could kill people! What makes tooth extraction surgery less scary?

Let the popular science guy take you into the evolutionary history of human tooth extraction

The earliest method of extracting a tooth was to knock it out!

A piece of hard wood or stone

Or other hard objects are placed on the affected tooth

and hit it with a rock or hammer-like object

Around 18th century BC

The Code of Hammurabi records

Barbers at that time performed minor surgical procedures

Including the tooth extraction code records

If someone knocks out a free man's teeth

His own teeth will be knocked out.

That is what we often say

“Tit for Tat”

15th-6th century BC

In the Indian Collection of Susruta

Various surgical instruments were recorded.

Including extraction forceps

Hippocrates of Greece invented

Rough forceps and other dental instruments for extracting teeth

Later, the Greeks improved these instruments.

And named after a monster from The Odyssey

Name it "Ya Guo Gong"

Even after so much time

Tooth extraction is still not an easy task

The tooth extraction process was not only without anesthesia

You need to endure severe pain throughout the process

Bleeding and infection after tooth extraction may be fatal!

Throughout the Middle Ages

Number of deaths due to oral care

Ranked first among the top ten causes of death

It can be said

The person who pulled the tooth at that time

Basically, they are tortured by toothache.

Why would you take such a big risk to extract a tooth?

In the Middle Ages, when quack doctors were prevalent,

Tooth extraction becomes a massive stage show

Technology and tools have not improved much either

Until the Renaissance

The turning point came after the tooth extraction

Leonardo da Vinci

Detailed anatomy of the tooth

And drew the effect diagram of maxillary sinus

Before the Middle Ages

Tooth extraction is usually done with the patient lying on his back on the floor

Dentist kneeling on the floor holding the patient's head

Extracting teeth for patients

It wasn't until the 15th century that patients could have their teeth removed while sitting down.

As for the new era of tooth extraction

After the anesthetic arrives

The era of painless tooth extraction has begun

Ancient Mediterranean

Datura plants were once used to make anesthetics

Opium was used as an anesthetic in ancient India

In ancient China, Bian Que's "Ma Fei San"

It is also a form of anesthesia

By the 16th century

Ether was found to have analgesic effects

Until the early 17th century

Although there are opium and ether

Still can't completely eliminate the pain of tooth extraction

In the fight against tooth extraction

An Austrian doctor

Relieve pain with a magnetic therapy - hypnosis

It was eventually discovered that this was a fraud

By the 18th century

The discoverer of oxygen

Joseph Priestley discovered laughing gas (nitric oxide)

Laughing gas has been found to relieve pain

And give people a sense of euphoria

19th century

Laughing gas was introduced to the United States on a large scale

More and more people are using it as a recreational drug

Later, an American dentist named Wells

First use of laughing gas as an anesthetic for tooth extraction

The whole process is almost painless

Wells declared on the spot

“A new era of tooth extraction has arrived”

Later he arranged a public demonstration

However, due to insufficient gas supply

The patient was in great pain during the demonstration.

The audience followed suit and called Welles a liar.

since then

The United States has been boycotting laughing gas for nearly 20 years

Because of this humiliation

Wells gave up dentistry

Later he began to study the anesthetic effects of chloroform

Finally, unfortunately, I became addicted

After inhaling too much chloroform

Wells rushed into the street excitedly

Jailed after attacking two people with sulfuric acid

In prison

He inhaled a large dose of chloroform

He cut his own femoral artery and bled to death

So no matter which era

Anesthesia drugs are dangerous!

When the medical community gave up on laughing gas

The public has been using it

Later, the anesthesia for tooth extraction was gradually replaced by nitrous oxide.

It is said that

Mark Twain during a dental visit

Heard about this

The story of the first use of laughing gas in dentistry

To hear this story again

Mark Twain went to the dentist to have his teeth checked again

Also paid $3,200 for two days of inspection

So hear this story here

Do you feel like you’ve made a profit?

Fast forward to the mid-19th century

Cocaine is used as a local anesthetic

For anesthesia before tooth extraction

Because its effect is better than laughing gas

Dental anesthesia was introduced

But many dentists and physicians have also started taking the drug.

1905

Cocaine alternatives emerge

That's procaine.

It has the same pain-relieving effect as cocaine

But not addictive

So far

The era of safe and painless tooth extraction has officially arrived

later

Local anesthetics such as mepivacaine and articaine were gradually discovered.

This is how we have painless tooth extraction today!

All right

Even now, tooth extraction

It's not completely painless

Some people may also feel pain due to physical problems.

And the wound will still hurt after the anesthetic wears off.

Painkillers can be used to relieve

Until today, tooth extraction is still a nightmare for many people.

Those cold dental instruments

Hammer, chisel, dental trimmer

Has it ever left a shadow on you?

But modern tooth extraction

With good anesthetic assistance

The operation can basically be completely painless!

And the concept of aseptic surgery in modern oral surgery

It also greatly reduces the chance of postoperative infection

Review of the development of tooth extraction

Now let's take a look at today's tooth extraction technology

Do you feel that we are already very happy?

At least I don't have to risk my life to have my teeth extracted anymore...