The dentist

Harry · Post by **Harry** » Thu Apr 29, 2004 10:38 am

Just came back from my dentist where I had 3 small cavities filled. Except for the numbness on both sides of my mouth and jaw I didn't even know when he was finished. It was that painless.

Thank God it's not 1892. I can't imagine what they had to go through.

Audrey · Post by **Audrey** » Thu Apr 29, 2004 10:40 am

Be careful when it comes to talking about dentists!

LOL

Seriously... If I have to hear one more time about dentists doing it with a smile I may go mad....

On a brighter note-- I never have to buy toothpaste but we always have 293432463 little tubes instead of one nice big one!

Ps-- One word... sonicare

Susan · Post by **Susan** » Thu Apr 29, 2004 9:49 pm

Here ya' go, Harry. Heres a link to a site about dentistry in the 1800s. It sounds like by the 1890s that early dentists had pretty much what we have today, except for those high speed drills!

Did find something interesting on the site:

Companies began to mass-produce toothbrushes in America around 1885. The Pro-phy-lac-tic brush made by the Florence Manufacturing Company of Massachusetts is a good example of an early American made toothbrush. The same company was also the first to sell toothbrushes packaged in boxes.

Wonder if Lizzie had a Prophylactic toothbrush?

From this site:http://inventors.about.com/library/inve ... dental.htm

lydiapinkham · Post by **lydiapinkham** » Sat May 01, 2004 10:16 pm

Has anybody out there read Frank Norris' McTeague. Makes you appreciate our dentists today, when you read about that big unschooled brute being complimented on his dentistry skills: i.e. strength of an ox to yank out a tooth as if it were an old tree stump. He uses ether, but it sounds like pretty cold comfort!

--Lyddie

lydiapinkham · Post by **lydiapinkham** » Sat May 01, 2004 10:20 pm

When did the usage of "prophylactic" shift from toothbrushes to condoms, I wonder? May have caused some embarassing dates: "Why are you going out to get some toothbrushes, Sweetie?"

--Lyddie

FairhavenGuy · Post by **FairhavenGuy** » Sat May 01, 2004 10:29 pm

Pro-phy-lac-tic adj. Acting to defend against or prevent something, esp. disease; protective.--n. A prophylactic medicine, device or measure, esp. a condom.

--The American Heritage Dictionary,1985

Kat · Post by **Kat** » Sat May 01, 2004 10:30 pm

It's in common usuage in Veterinarian practice. I use the word all the time when we talk about preventitive measures to keep a well animal from getting sick.
It's probably as old as the hills?