So, as you probably know we’re not able to open the doors yet but that doesn’t mean we haven’t been doing anything.  Far from it!  The team have taken the opportunity to update their skills online and undertake other self improvement during this time, as well as spending quality time with their families.  We’ve also put together some dentistry trivia which might entertain you for a couple of minutes.  Here we go….

It was good to hear that the tooth fairy is considered a key worker (applying social distancing rules of course!) but do you know what happened before the tooth fairy was employed?  Children in both England and Australia used to drop their first baby tooth into a mousehole in the belief it would keep them free of toothache.  We’ve got reliable evidence that this doesn’t actually work so make sure that when we’re open again you book the little ones in for a visit.  

But popping your tooth in a mousehole doesn’t seem that strange when you consider some of the other things people used to do to prevent dental pain.

During the Middle Ages, people believed that kissing a donkey would relieve toothache and the ancient Chinese wrapped tiny pieces of parchment around painful teeth, all of which contained written prayers and incarnations.  But it gets weirder!  Also in the Middle Ages, people believed that dogs’ teeth boiled in wine made an excellent mouth rinse to prevent tooth decay. 

Another disgusting idea, from the Dark Ages,  was that you grow a new tooth by implanting a tooth from someone else – ideally from a hanged criminal!

And, whilst toasters might be the gift of choice these days for a wedding, it was not uncommon that long ago to receive dentures as a wedding gift.  At the time, many people expected to lose all their teeth and often had their teeth extracted at an early age.  Nowadays we aim to help your smile last a lifetime!