Dentistry in Ancient Egypt

Abstract

Dentistry, dated in Ancient Egypt as an independent profession since the early 3rd millennium BC, was the first specialty recorded in a document in ancient Egypt, but nothing proves teeth interventions in mummies. The mouth and dental preservation was very important in rituals and theology because, as a source of exterior speech, it allowed man to express his spiritual feelings. The emphasis put on the mouth, lips, tongue, palate and teeth, was connected with the soul, the expression, and articulation of words. In the ‘Opening of the mouth’ ceremony, the dead jaws were freed to rebirth, give a voice and utter the words and names of power. Thus the white and healthy child Horus’ teeth allow to make up the undamaged mouth (PT 79 a) and five onions, their symbolic representation, were given the dead as a sacred offering. The emphasis put on the mouth, lips, tongue, palate and teeth, was connected with the soul, the expression, and articulation of words. As source of exterior speech, they allow man to express his spiritual feelings. In the Memphite theology the intellectual God Creator Ptah have generated the world pronouncing their names. Teeth and lips represent the magical verbal action and the tongue means speech, the _logos_. Dental problems were well known and some indications of doctor’s different diagnosis and treatments were found in medical papyri. The most common dental diseases were: attrition, frequent until pulp exposure, receding gums, caries and the destruction of enamel, chronic suppurative periodontitis that causes mobility, dental abscess and sepsis, loose teeth, ulcerative stomatitis, alveolar diseases and heavy deposits of calculus. Egyptian paleopathology and molecular biology provide new medical information and had revolutionized all aspects of dentistry, changing previous beliefs. However Egyptians were creative or witty and had devised many treatments for the various affections, both chirurgical and medicinal in nature, using different drugs. By studying a critical scrutiny of the development of dentistry profession in ancient times, it has been possible an exploration of dental problems, diseases and treatments and establishing guidelines and difficulties.