How in Russia they dealt with the "tooth worm", or Medical tricks from the past

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

Going to the dentist becomes a real stress for many. This is despite the fact that modern clinics are equipped with high-tech equipment, and most of the manipulations are performed under anesthesia. And how did people cope with dental problems in old Russia? After all, for the first time dentists began to work only in 1883, when a special school was opened in St. Petersburg. Read how the deer antlers helped with pain, who the teeth are and why you had to go to the steam room with a bad tooth.

Herbalist from Monomakh's granddaughter, as well as burnt bran and sauerkraut for dental treatment

One of the most famous herbalists called "Ointments" was a collection written by the granddaughter of Vladimir Monomakh, Eupraxia-Zoya. She not only collected the most interesting recipes and described diseases of the oral cavity, but also practiced "medical tricks".

There were some very interesting recommendations for those with dental problems. For example, if the teeth were loose, it was recommended to strengthen them with a composition of grated deer antlers and wine. For bleaching, a paste made from salt and burnt bran was used.

In the famous Domostroy one could find original advice on the treatment of dental diseases. Gums hurt - prepare a rosehip decoction. Tormenting scurvy - rather cook and eat sauerkraut. And for toothache, they advised to use celery juice.

At the beginning of the 17th century, new principles of dental care began to be declared. Salt with gunpowder was recognized as an unacceptable option for achieving enamel whiteness, and original toothbrushes made from chicken bones were also introduced into use.

Who is a tooth-tooth and what is Agapy from Kiev famous for?

Members of high society could turn to a foreign dentist and hope that the most modern methods would be applied. The common people did not have such an opportunity, and they were sent to the healers. Among them there were specialists in diseases of the teeth and gums, and they were called teeth-teeth. This was due to the fact that often powders, rinses and conspiracies were powerless, and a tooth had to be removed. In other words, to carry out dentition.

The most famous ancient dentist was a certain Agapy, who lived in Kiev in the 12th century. He successfully dealt with toothaches with a tincture of iris roots and a decoction of black henbane.

No money for a doctor - gnaw an oak

The witch doctors had to pay. Not everyone could afford it, because people remembered the healing power of nature. Oak played a special role in dental treatment. If the pain became severe, one should go to the forest, find an old oak tree that grew at the source. After that, it was necessary to peel off a little bark, soak it in water, put it in an amulet and put it on the neck.

If this method did not help, there was a second option - the oak bark was not only carried with them, it was gnawed and chewed. From the point of view of medicine, this is justified, since it contains anti-inflammatory and antibacterial substances. Oak broth is great for bad breath and bleeding gums. It is still used today as a safe aid.

Remedies for dental ailments in the first pharmacies and what is a tooth worm

The first state pharmacy appeared in Moscow in 1581. It also sold remedies for dental problems, and some imported powders contained camphor and opium. Ordinary people were also involved in filling pharmacy shelves - they bought medicinal plants from them. There were even so-called “pharmacy gardens”. Medicines for dental ailments were not cheap, so many used the knowledge collected in herbalists.

These collections included proven folk recipes for many diseases, including diseases of the oral cavity. For example, for stomatitis, it was advised to use a mixture of horseradish and honey. And if a person was attacked by a tooth worm (this is what caries was called in ancient times), then celandine should be chewed. An unpleasant problem with the gums, gingivitis, was recommended to be treated with plantain juice. In case of severe pain, the gums were rubbed with burnt goat horns.

From the monastery from the healers to the bathhouse for the treatment of flux

In ancient Russia, the role of dentists was assumed by monks. Most of them were people with education, who were engaged in the translation of various books, including medical ones. The monks practiced in the hospitals of the churches and called them healers. This corresponds to the modern term "therapist". Anyone could turn to such specialists. The healers used traditional medicine, collected medicinal herbs and prepared medicines, and in addition, they applied knowledge from the medical literature. There were also surgeons called cutters. They knew how to open an abscess if the tooth was really bad. For this, a knife called "kroilo" was used. If things were really bad and removal was required, they had to turn to the help of ticks or "forceps".

In the 18th century, the so-called therapeutic baths became widespread, in which one had to "sweat and dilute fluxes." These establishments were mostly owned by foreigners, and were visited by representatives of the upper classes on the advice of a doctor. For example, in St. Petersburg, Lehmann's Bader bath, which opened in 1760, was extremely popular.

Practice has shown that in fact, after visiting such a bath, one could wake up in the morning not with a slight inflammation, but with a huge flux. And if you take a steam bath after the tooth has been removed, then there is a great risk of bleeding. Therefore, the healing baths did not work for long. The famous Russian bath quickly regained its position and is still used as a preventive measure against many diseases. What sways teeth, then in public steam rooms were taken by "zoodera" and other specialists.

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