What did people use for dental pain before modern pain medication?
5000 BC—A Sumerian text of this date describes “tooth worms” as the cause of dental decay. 2600 BC—Death of Hesy-Re, an Egyptian scribe, often called the first “dentist.” An inscription on his tomb includes the title “the greatest of those who deal with teeth, and of physicians.” This is the earliest known reference to a person identified as a dental practitioner. 1700-1550 BC—An Egyptian text, the Ebers Papyrus, refers to diseases of the teeth and various toothache remedies. 500-300 BC—Hippocrates and Aristotle write about dentistry, including the eruption pattern of teeth, treating decayed teeth and gum disease, extracting teeth with forceps, and using wires to stabilize loose teeth and fractured jaws. 100 BC—Celsus, a Roman medical writer, writes extensively in his important compendium of medicine on oral hygiene, stabilization of loose teeth, and treatments for toothache, teething pain, and jaw fractures. 166-201 AD—The Etruscans practice dental prosthetics using gold crowns and fi
It may be an urban legend to physically knock someone out; it had the hazard of not coming back – – – but there was also use of ether as a knockout – the fumes would render you unconscious for a short time. Nitrous oxide was also used ( laughing gas ) but it was too dangerous to patient and doctor. At least those methods did not leave a scar, headache, or bump. Alcohol was also used, but was found that the numbing effects were close to toxicity and some patients would refuse to drink, so it had its drawbacks too.
