Timeline of dentistry

Dentistry has an age-long and captivating history. From the ancient times, human beings have been plagued by dental diseases. Many of the present day incredible techniques used in dentistry can be trailed to the earliest era of human civilization. Dentistry is one of the primeval medical streams, originating around 7000 B.C. in the Indus Valley Civilization. However, it wasn’t until 5000 B.C., that the ancient Sumerians first referred tooth decay in a written text as “toothworms”

Spanning the chain of historical evidence, Hesy-Re, an Egyptian is credited as the first dental practitioner and was called as the “chief of the toothers”. By the 1700s, dentistry had become a more refined domain, when Pierre Fauchard, a French surgeon acclaimed as “the Father of Modern Dentistry”, published his distinguished book- The Surgeon Dentist, a treatise on teeth, which became a pioneer in describing a comprehensive system for the practise of dentistry including basic oral anatomy and function, operative and restorative techniques as well as dental construction, besides furnishing basic knowledge of caring and treating teeth. Further by the mid of this era, root canals, dentures and crowns were common in dental procedures. Dental practitioners of the time were already engaged in treating cosmetic concerns and trying to create gold crowns which resembled natural teeth.

Horace Hayden and Chapin Harris founded The Baltimore college Of Dental Surgery which became the World’s first dental school when it opened in Baltimore, MD in 1839. It was the first academic institution established to teach courses exclusively in dentistry for the purpose of granting degrees in this profession. In this regard, it formulated The Doctor of Dental Surgery degree (DDS).

In 1859, the well-known across the globe, American Dental Association was officially formed when a panel of 26 dentists convened in Niagara Falls, New York, which advocates for general health of public by emphasising on vital issues such as access to care, the rules and regulations that encompass the practise of dentistry and much more.

HISTORY OF DENTISTRY IN INDIA

In 1000 B.C., Sushruta- the Father of Indian Surgery, scribed in Sushruta Samhita descriptions of severe periodontal disease with loose teeth and purulent discharge. It also accounts for treatments of diseases of the oral cavity and emphasized the importance of tongue hygiene.

It was Dr.Rafiuddin Ahmed who founded the first dental college of India in modern day Kolkata (1920)) and also Indian Dental Association (IDA) in 1946. Popularly known as “Father of Dentistry in India”, Dr.Rafiuddin became the first president of IDA which is committed to improving public oral health by promoting advanced and science-based dentistry. It acknowledges that oral health is an integral part of general health and well-being. The association includes dental professionals, dental students and affiliates as members.

Other Developments:

• 1938 The nylon toothbrush, the first made with synthetic bristles appeared on the market, by Du-Pont.
• 1950 The first fluoride toothpastes, mainstream staple of oral hygiene, are marketed.
• 1960 The first commercial electronic toothbrush, developed in Switzerland after World War II, is introduced in the U.S.