Tooth Doc to the Pharaohs
The earliest dentist of whom we have record is HesiRe.
He lived in the Old Kingdom, Third Dynasty (2650-2575 BC), give or take.
Polished wood panels on display in Cairo’s Egyptian Museum feature hieroglyphs,
according him the title “Chief Toothist” and portray, in splendid robes, this First Master of the Toothache.

Interproximal Residue
See a friend with food stuck in his/her teeth?
Try giving these Aussie-favorites a whack:
Carnivore: “Hey mate, you still got meat on your grill!”
Vegetarian: “Hey mate, you still got spice in your rack!”

A Matter of Choice
Some weird conversations occur in the dental office,
Here’s one that might make you laugh...or weep:
“Hey Doc, do I have to floss all my teeth?”
“No, Tommy, just the ones you want to keep.”

Operatory Conversation
“Sally, are you going to put the baby tooth we just removed under your pillow tonight?”
Shaking her head no, Sally says, “Unh, unh, Doctor Tunney.”
“Why not?”
“Easter is just a couple days away; I’m gonna’ put it under my pillow with some carrots Saturday night so the Tooth Fairy can feed the Easter Bunny.”

Light My Fire
Smoking conveys a look of real sophistication.
Nicotine-yellow teeth flash a daffodil smile.
Those oral-cancer surgery scars add real character to the face,
And that chunk of infected jawbone will be missing for quite a while.

Hygienic Courtship
Roses are red,
And violets are blue,
But if you don’t brush and floss,
She’ll never marry you!

Mona Lisa Smile
Professor Donald Sassoon of Britain’s London University, is the author of Mona Lisa: The History of the World’s Most Famous Painting—a real book gem.
When an interviewer asked why Mona Lisa’s smile doesn’t display her teeth, he offered this observation:
“In the 15th Century, teeth were terrible, so they’re not going to show them.”

Spoils-of-War
Wellington defeated Napoleon on the battlefield;
Tens-of-thousands died in the misadventure.
The ensuing harvest of teeth from the dead
Led to production of the “Waterloo Denture.”

The Dental Patient’s Little Book of History, Humor and Trivia ©2006 Donald M. Dible. Reprinted by permission. Available at www.dmdhousebooks.com or 800-BOOK-LOG.