Health

13,000-Year-Old Fillings Prove Ancient Dentistry Was Brutal

Written by Teunis Felter

Going to the dentist may not be any fun today, but 13,000 years ago it would have been outright traumatic. Before the age of painkillers, specialized tools and antibiotics, dentists used a variety of crude implements to ply their trade. A pair of incisors unearthed in Tuscany and recently analyzed by Italian researchers were hollowed out with sharpened rocks and stuffed with traces of bitumen and organic matter in what appears to be an early attempt at dental fillings.

http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/d-brief/2017/04/10/ancient-dentistry-tooth-filling/#.WOzJrKIpCUm

About the author

Teunis Felter

Teunis Felter has over 20 years experience as an author, editor, and scientist. When not exploring outside, he enjoys reading history, researching genealogy, and civilly discussing politics.