The Excruciating History of Dentistry: Toothsome Tales & Oral Oddities from Babylon to Braces [Hardcover]

James Wynbrandt (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0312185766 | ISBN-13: 978-0312185763 | Publication Date: May 1998 | Edition: 1

The legion of dental phobics - and others whose whine raises in tandem with that of the drill - would do well to stifle their terror and instead offer thanks to Apollonia, the patron saint of toothache sufferers, that they only face fleeting discomfort rather than the disfiguring distress or slow agonizing death by the dental care providers of the past. The transition from yesterday's ignorance, misapprehension and superstition to the enlightened and nerve-deadened protocols of today has been a slow and painful process. This text contains, among many thing, the following facts: among toothache remedies favoured by Pierre Fauchard was rinsing the mouth liberally with one's own urine; George Washington never had wooden teeth - however his chronic dental problem may have impacted the outcome of the American Revolution; and soldiers in the Civil War needed at least two opposing front teeth to rip open powder envelopes, so some men called up for induction had their front teeth extracted to avoid service.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Not a dentist by profession but a humorist, Wynbrandt brings an irreverent approach to the seemingly colorless topic of dentistry. All the names and dates of important discoveries and advances in dental practice are here, but they are delivered along with an endless supply of tales ranging from the comical to the macabre. From the almost universal belief in "tooth worms" as the cause of cavities to "spirits and demons as agents of infirmity," superstitions and folk remedies throughout the world are thoroughly covered. Admitting that dentistry has historically been the domain of "incompetents, ignoramuses, quacks, and charlatans," Wynbrandt creates vivid images of medieval marketplace hucksters and "barber-surgeons" who advertised by displaying buckets of blood in their windows. Even as dentistry slowly moved into the realm of legitimate medicine, its trial-and-error practice included the use of leeches, bloodletting, urine mouthwashes, poisonous and highly addictive painkillers (including morphine and cocaine) and deadly radiation. Wynbrandt makes his point well that "we are fortunate to live in the golden era of 'painless' dentistry," and indeed "a dentally pampered culture" in which cosmetic concerns have all but overtaken the practice. This is an exhaustive, entertaining history that is likely to appeal mostly to... dentists. Eight pages of b&w illustrations, not seen by PW.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

The history of dentistry is a subject not well known to patients who dread their semiannual visit. They may not realize that the temporary discomfort they face is negligible compared with the pain and distress endured by patients of previous eras. The author reports that at times dental treatments were more bloody and barbarous than beneficial. He discusses the development of dentistry as a profession, the use of different anesthetics, and the evolution of dentures and dental prosthetics, among other topics. Much of the book is devoted to anecdotes illustrating discontinued dental practices. Wynbrandt thoroughly researched this topic, but it is not likely to be of interest to the average reader. His book is more suited to collections in the history of science and medicine in academic libraries.?Bruce Slutsky, New Jersey Inst. of Technology Lib., Newark
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press; 1 edition (May 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312185766
• ISBN-13: 978-0312185763
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #710,568 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well researched, and brilliantly funny, February 16, 2004

By 

Meredith B. Bishop (Narragansett, RI USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Excruciating History of Dentistry: Toothsome Tales & Oral Oddities from Babylon to Braces (Hardcover)

From its quirky title through the painful truths of the profession, the writing is masterful. If you have a mind for tongue in cheek humor beautifully written, the book is for you. Not a subject you ever cared much about? It doesn't matter. This author makes it fun.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Fun Book, April 10, 2011

By 

J. Monirian "Pudgy Fingers" (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Excruciating History of Dentistry: Toothsome Tales & Oral Oddities from Babylon to Braces (Hardcover)

I'm a dental student, and this was full of interesting little tid bits about the history of dentistry. It's dry in places, and to be honest I haven't even finished it, but it's been a fun book of dental trivia so far.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Humorous and Informative, February 10, 2007

By 

Krista L. Chase (Southern Oregon) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: The Excruciating History of Dentistry: Toothsome Tales & Oral Oddities from Babylon to Braces (Paperback)

This is a fun read. A must have for any oral health professional.