Dentistry v

By

Venice Ibrahim

Index

- Introduction

-Herodotous and the ancient Egyptian civilization

-Egyptian language and its interpretation

-Information & data concerning ancient dentistry

-Ancient Egyptians dentists

- Ancient Egyptians medical tools

-Ancient Egyptians dental diseases

-The Egyptian medical papyri

-Egyptians medical recipes& interventions

-The use of Modern science and Technology

-Conclusion

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Introduction

- Ancient Egyptians were skilled in medicine in different fields known today

- The profession of dental physician existed since the early third millennium

- Physicians were specialized for specific diseases or organs, some dealt with

eye, head and some with teeth or belly etc.

-Lioness Sekhmet was believed to bring epidemics and disease. She was also the

patroness deity of doctors, other Gods and Goddesses for the diseases, ex., Gods

Amun and Horus were responsible for treatment of eye diseases etc.,

-Imhotep was chief vizier to Zozer, high priest, astrologist, pyramid designer, a

physician, the founder of medicine, Egyptianssw believed that he had great

healing powers, and considered him as a God of medicine.

-Since the 1st dynasty (3150 – 2925 BC), medical institutes called “peri-ankh”

or “houses of life” existed as teaching centers, and in those houses medical

books and papyri were written and preserved.

-A code of ethics was followed, with an oath was made by physicians. In the

tomb of Nenkh-Sekhmet, Chief of Physicians in the 5th dynasty, the following

sentense is written: “Never did I do anything evil towards any person”.

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Born : c. 484 BC Halicarnassus, Caria, Asia Minor

Died : c.425 BC (aged approximately 60)

Thurii, Calabria or Pella, Macedon

an ancient Greek historian who was born in Halicarnassus, Caria (modern day Bodrum,

Turkey) He has been called the "Father of History", and was the first historian known to

collect his materials systematically, and test their accuracy to a certain extent and arrange

them

Herodotous and the ancient Egyptian civilization

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HERODOTUS, mentioned that 'The practice of

medicine in Egypt is so divided among them, that

each physician is a healer of one disease and no

more. All the country is full of physicians, some

of the eye, some of the teeth, some of what

pertains to the belly, and some of the hidden

diseases

Herodotous and the ancient Egyptian civilization

5

In the fifth century B.C. Herodotus

remarked on the degree of specialisation he

found in Egypt.

Most of the known specialist medical titles

were carried by a certain Ir-en-akhty

except for dentists who carried the separate

title ibeh

False door of the multi-specialist

Ir-en-akhy (10th Dynasty)

Egyptian language and its interpretation

6

-Athanasius Kircher German polyhistorian (1602 - 1680) proposed

nonsensical allegorical translations (Lingua Aegyptical restituta, 1643).

Athanasius Kircher Dr. Thomas Young

-Thomas Young (1773 -1829), the author of the undulatory theory of light,

assigned correct phonetical values to five hieroglyphic signs .

Egyptian language and its interpretation

7

Jean-Francois

Champollion

Rosetta Stone

-Finding the Rosetta stone was the final decipherment, starting in 1822, by

the work of the Frenchman Jean-François Champollion, 1790 - 1832, cf.

Précis du système hiéroglyphique des anciens égyptiens par M.Champollion

le jeune, 1824.

Samples of three different scripts on the Rosetta Stone

Top: Heiroglyphs; Middle: Demotic; Bottom: Greek.

Information & data concerning ancient dentistry

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Egyptian dentists̕ tomb,

at Saqqara, near the

step pyramid-oldest in

Egypt

Hieroglyphic details, including eye and tusk symbols representing dentistry

profession chiseled on the entrance of the tomb honoring 3 dentists served the

nobility in ancient Egypt-Iy Mry -the chief dentist is pictured on the wall ,thus the

swallow, tusk and arrow, meant 'chief dentist and doctor


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Modern investigations employ

virtually nondestructive techniques

to study disease in mummies,

members of the Manchester Mummy

Project used endoscope to take tissue

samples from the mouth of a

mummy. Manchester Museum,

University of Manchester)

Rosalie David unwrapping the

female mummy 1770 in 1975


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The earliest evidence of ancient dentistry we have is an amazingly

detailed dental work on a mummy from ancient Egypt that

archaeologists have dated to 2000 BCE.

The work shows intricate gold work around the teeth. The two

donor teeth had holes drilled into them, wires were strung through

the holes and then around the neighboring teeth.

‘El-Quatta Bridge'

The World first Dental Bridges

mandible of a 4th dynasty

mummy (2625 - 2510 BC). with a

gold wire bridge


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- Examining skeletal and mummified remains from ancient Egypt can provide

evidence for the dental health of the ancient Egyptian civilisation where tooth

ailments was frequent as some mummies show evidences of severe infections and

loose teeth, as people believed that the cause of the decays were ‘worms’.

- Egyptian pharaohs were known to have suffered from periodontal (gum) disease,

Radiographs of mummies confirm this fact.

- The skulls and jaws found in burial shafts and tombs almost all show attrition.

Dental Surgery, Jaw of ancient Egyptian

showing drill holes used in dental repair.

Courtesy of the Gordon Museum

Upper jaw of Tao II Seqenenre.

The teeth are heavily worn,

healthy and tartar free

Worn ancient Egyptian teeth

showing an abscess drainage hole


13

Ancient Egyptian mandible c. 1,500

BC. Courtesy of Duckworth

Collection, Cambridge University

The dental drill dates back

9,000 years ago

Attrition


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study of more than 3,000

mummies has revealed a

nightmare array of dental

diseases.

Head of the mummy of

Amenhotep III. He had lost

some of his front teeth due

to alveolar abscesses

Ancient Egyptians dentists Ancient Egyptians dentists

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-The earliest ever record of a physician was Hesy-Ra, 2700

BC, who was "Chief of Dentists and Doctors" to King

Djoser.

-Merit Ptah (2700 BCE)was an early physician in ancient

Egypt. She is most notable for being the first woman

known by name in the history of the field of medicine, and

possibly the first named woman in all of science as well.

Her picture can be seen on a tomb in the necropolis near

the step pyramid of Saqqara. Her son, who was a High

Priest, described her as "the Chief Physician".

-Also Peseshet (2400 BC, 4th dynasty, old kingdom) was

known as the supervisor of all female doctors her own stela

in the tomb of Akhet-hotep, probably her son, in Giza

Hesy-Re, head of dentists

Ancient Egyptians dentists Ancient Egyptians dentists

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Hesy-re, Head of

Dentists Old Kingdom,

3rd Dynasty

Peseshet Imhotep

Merit Ptah

Ancient Egyptians medical tools

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Com Ombo temple

Wall of twin temple of Com Ombo temple with

surgical instruments carvings and queen in

labor on an obstetric chair


(1) knives; (2) drill; (3) saw;

(4) forceps or pincers; (5) censer; (6)

hooks;

(7) bags tied with string; (8, 10) beaked

vessel; (11) vase with burning incense;

(12) Horus eyes; (13) scales;

(14) pot with flowers of Upper and

Lower Egypt;

(15) pot on pedestal;

(16) graduated cubit or papyrus scroll

without side knot (or a case holding reed

scalpels);

(17) shears; (18) spoons.

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Com Ombo

inscription detailing

ancient Egyptian

medical tools


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Wooden tools Bronze tools

has basically three functions for which it is

Stone tools Copper tools

Iron tools

Ancient Egyptians dental diseases

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-Attrition was the most common affection in ancient

Egypt, Caused by the coarse diet (which may have

lacked minerals and vitamins) and the presence of

sand, husks, and sometimes straw in their bread.

-Abscesses, inflammation of the gums and jawbone,

and tooth loss was also detected.

-As well caries ,calculus formation and others

root caries on the

mandibular right

third molar [left]

and left first molar

[right

abscess on

mandibular right

Molars

suffering from

attrition


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mandibular M2

displays large caries

maxillary M3 with

a large cavity

apical abscess on

right maxillary PM2

and antemortem

tooth loss Extensive dental wear


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Lower jaw with traces of a periodontal

abscess ( the small hole in the bone)

Dental wear and impacted

.

A skull showing severe

periodontal disease,

antemortem tooth loss,

Calculus formation and

apical abscesses

The medical papyri

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The first medical texts, date from late 12th Dynasty to 20th Dynasty (2000-

1090B.C), and there are Several Egyptian medical papyri and the most

important of all are as follows:

-The Kahun Gynecological Papyrus (1820B.C) gynecology

The Kahun Gynecological Papyrus

The medical papyri

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-The Ebers Papyrus (1534 B.C) where tooth extraction, treatment of mouth

ulcers and treatment of jaw dislocation were dealt with.

-Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus (1600 B.C) wounds and fractures it also

contains a list of instruments, including lint, swabs, bandage, adhesive plaster

(x-formed), support, surgical stitches and cauterization

Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus

Part of the The Ebers papyrus

The medical papyri

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-The Hearst Papyrus (14 50B.C)

-The Erman Papyrus (1550 B.C)

-The London Papyrus (1350B.C)

-The Berlin Papyrus (1350B.C)

-The Chester Papyrus (12000B.C)

Hearst Papyrus London Papyrus Berlin Papyrus

Chester Papyrus

Egyptians medical recipes& interventions

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1. Eb. 89. 2-3. For fixing a loose tooth. A mixture of crushed seeds, ochre, and honey made

into a paste and applied to the tooth.

2. Eb. 89. 4-6. For toothache. A paste of ground-up vegetable and mineral substances

with honey.

3. Eb. 89. 6-7. For a septic tooth (lit. 'a tooth that gnaws into an opening in the flesh'),the

ingredients are of an astringent nature: cumin, colocynth, and frankincense.

4. Eb. 89. 8-9. For treating the teeth by rinsing in the mouth. In this case two plants are to

be chewed and spat out. The vehicle is sweet ale.

5. Eb. 89. I O - I I . For inflammation of the gums, perhaps stomatitis. The drugs are the

homely date and beans, which are to be exposed to the dew, mixed with milk, and chewed

and spat out, for nine days.

Honey Frankincense

Ochre clays(limonite)

hydrated iron (III) oxide Herbs


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6. Eb. 89. 11-12. Another for the same. In this case the vehicle is oil and water.

7. Eb. 89. 12-13. A paste for 'making healthy' the teeth. Two vegetable drugs, mandrake

and species of Potentilla, chewed and spat out. The vehicle is sweet ale.

8.Eb. 89. 14-15. For 'eating blood' in a tooth. This idiomatic expression is understood by

Dr. Ebbell to mean 'scurvy'.

Potentilla

Mandragoe

(Mandrake)

colocynth

Dates


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1. Fixing a loose tooth – mixture of crushed seeds, ochre, and

honey made into a paste and applied to the tooth.

2. Toothache – paste of ground up veggies and minerals with

honey.

3. Septic tooth – cumin, colocynth, and frankincense.

4. Treating the teeth by rinsing the mouth – two plants are

chewed and spat out.

Inflammation of gums – dates and beans, which are exposed to

dew, mixed with milk, and chewed and spat out, for nine days.

5. Making teeth “healthy” – two vegetable drugs, mandrake

and species of Potentilla, chewed and spat out

Beans

Spices

Milk


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The gold wire is 0.35 m in

diameter, its tubular

construction is demonstrated

by the seam along its length.

Magnification x8 of some of

the fractured ends revealed its

central bore.

Pharaonic dentists were experts with reconstruction

works as there have been three instances of a dental

bridges where one or more lost teeth were

reattached by the use of a gold or silver wire to the

surrounding teeth

Modern science and technology used

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CT scan of the skull at the level of

the posterior fossa in an excellent

condition of maxillary teeth with no

discernible enamel wear. The right

third molar is partially erupted

indicating that the individual was

young at death

Tooth spaces show open

Magnetic resonance–

based 3-dimensional

reconstruction

The use of Modern science and Technology

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frontal reconstruction of

dentition damaged mesial

neck of teeth 15 and

27 due to caries (arrows)

Coronal caries on the first

molar is shown (arrow)

The use of Modern science and Technology

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British Museum

mummies being

scanned

Conclusion

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Ancient Egyptians were pioneers in various field of

science and knowledge and most probably what we

know about them is just a little of what they had and

more will be known and discovered through

excavations, discoveries, use of technology, etc.,

Great appreciation to our ancestors, makers of

civilization hoping to follow their lead enlighting and

enriching life with useful science.

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Dentistry v

Science

kahun gynecological

egyptian medical

information

egyptian language

ancient dentistry

ebers papyrus

ancient egypt

crushed seeds