HISTOOTHRY 101: Toothworms

One of the oldest and most enduring explanations for what causes tooth decay was the tooth worm, first noted by the Sumerians around 5000 BC. They believed that tooth decay was the result of a "tooth worm" making holes in the teeth.
The idea of the tooth worm has been found in the writings of the ancient Greek philosophers and poets. It has also been found in such places as ancient India, Japan, Egypt, and China. This ivory carving depicts the havoc caused by such a voracious tooth worm.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

nice post!

Anonymous said...

Wow! It's a great research you have here, Angie!
Ancient people really believe in tooth worm, ha? Well, today we all know that tooth decay is caused by bad bacteria. And it's a good thing that we now have (Raleigh) cosmetic dentist to repair our damaged teeth. Sedation dentistry (Raleigh) is also now available for those who have dental anxiety and stress. It is a relaxing treatment to make the procedure more comfortable to the patients.