Slashdot Mirror
Stone Age Dentists
morleron writes "Scientists have found evidence in Pakistan that the Stone Age had dentists. They used flint drills to remove cavities and attempt other tooth repair. No evidence as to whether or not the patients were conscious during the procedures."
...to underestimate ancient people, maybe even necessary in order to gain a better appreciation of human nature, but it's heartening to know that we only underestimate ourselves. Now to master nano-age dentistry...
Codeine, a powerful pain reliever is a constituent of Opium. Opium has been known to be used by Neanderthals roughly 40,000 years ago and it's effects were well known in Ancient Greece, Egypt and Mesopotamia. Considering that this is Pakistan, I would imagine that they had supplies of Opium nearby.
They weren't exactly grunting fools 8,000-10,000 years ago.
"Tread softly because you tread on my dreams"
The team that carried out the work say close examination of the teeth shows the tool was "surprisingly effective" at removing rotting dental tissue.
Surprisingly effective compared to what? The Tom Hanks method of dentistry?
-Grey
Silver Clipboard: Time Management Tips
You've obviously never suffered from dental pain have you? (Or you've forgotten how much it hurts. Memory of pain is like that)
:)
You'll find that most 'normal' (non-prescription and low-end prescription) drugs don't do a lot for you, and anything that might relieve the pain starts to seem like a good idea, even if it involves someone tinkering inside your mouth with a rock
I don't know; I don't see a lot of advanced technology in today's dentistry. They have instruments with finer precision, sure, and they have fillings that last longer, but essentially, they're just plugging holes for the most part, which has always been possible with a bit of tree resin. Essentially, dentistry is a major contrast to other medical professions, because it has made little progress towards prevention or CURES for decay, besides physical stuff like toothpaste and floss.
Lately, there was a slashdot story about changing the electrical properties of teeth so that plaque can't attach. In sci-fi, there are ideas like hermetically sealing teeth. I really think dentistry should be working much harder towards things like that.
Prior, you have a normal cavity. It might have a small opening in the top of a molar. The small opening could lead down to something much bigger. The inside is impossible to clean.
Afterward, you have a great big hole. You'd at least have some hope of keeping it kind of clean so that things don't get much worse.
In most cases, the dosage makes the poison. See drugs (legal and illegal). Re hemlock, look here, for example.
"When I first heard Daydream Nation it quite frankly scared the living shit out of me." -- Matthew Stearns
In the past 9000 years, the only real advancement in dentistry appears to be the addition of fillings to the procedure. Otherwise, going to the dentist is still pretty much like having a neolithic barbarian bang on your teeth with rocks.