Ancient Cavities and the ‘Tooth Worm’
Tooth Decay Caused By ‘Tooth Worms’?
Back before anyone understood the science behind tooth decay, toothache and tooth decay were thought to be caused by ‘tooth worms’ that burrowed under the surface of the tooth and put holes in them, causing pain and tooth loss.
When a painful tooth had to be pulled, the tooth’s nerve was sometimes confused to be the ‘worm’ culprit. References to tooth worms dates back to 4000 BC in ancient Mesopotamia and persisted until the 18th century when Pierre Fauchard, the father of Modern Dentistry, made the link between sugar and dental decay. Despite this and following discoveries, the ‘tooth worm’ persisted as an explanation of toothache and decay until the 20th century!
Today we know that it’s not JUST sugar that causes dental decay, and that there are a variety of ways that we can keep our teeth healthy. But there are certainly no worms!