Bizarre Dental Trends Through History (and Why We’re Glad They’re Gone!)

Updated: Jul 14

When you think of dental care today, you might picture electric toothbrushes, fluoride toothpaste, and sleek dental offices. But history tells a very different story. For centuries, humans have experimented with some truly bizarre ways to clean, decorate, or even remove their teeth!

Join us on a wild journey through time as we explore the strangest dental trends in history—and trust us, you’ll be very grateful for modern dentistry!

1. Ancient Mayan Bling: Bejeweled Teeth 💎

Think grillz are a modern celebrity trend? The Maya civilization (200-900 AD) did it first! They drilled tiny holes into their front teeth and inlaid them with jade, turquoise, and even hematite stones.

✔️ Why they did it: For beauty and status. A bejeweled smile showed wealth and power in their society.

❌ Why we’re glad it’s gone: Drilling without anesthesia? No thanks!

2. Medieval “Tooth Worms” (Yes, Really) 🐛

Imagine this: You have a terrible toothache. You go to a medieval healer, and they tell you that tiny worms are eating your tooth from the inside. 🤢

✔️ The belief: Ancient doctors thought cavities were caused by “tooth worms” burrowing into the enamel.

❌ The “cure”: They tried to smoke out the worms using herbs, honey, or even hot metal rods. Spoiler alert: There were never any worms—just really bad cavities.

3. Ancient Roman Mouthwash (Hint: It Was Gross) 🍷🦷

The Romans were ahead of their time in dental hygiene, but their choice of mouthwash was… questionable. They used aged urine (yes, human pee!) to rinse their mouths and whiten their teeth.

✔️ Why they did it: Urine contains ammonia, a natural whitening agent.

❌ Why we’re glad it’s gone: Uh… do we even need to explain? 🤮

4. The Renaissance: Black Teeth = Fashionable? 🖤

In 16th-century England, having black teeth was considered trendy and elite. Why? Because only the rich could afford sugar, and sugar led to rotting teeth. Instead of seeing it as a problem, people thought it looked… fancy.

✔️ Who made it popular? Queen Elizabeth I! Her sugar habit turned her teeth black, and people started using soot and charcoal to imitate the look.

❌ Why we’re glad it’s gone: Imagine a world where cavities were considered chic. Yikes.

5. DIY Dentures Made of… Other People’s Teeth 🦷😬

If you lost your teeth in the 1700s or 1800s, you had a few options for dentures:

Carved animal bone (uncomfortable)
Wooden teeth (not great)
REAL HUMAN TEETH (from the deceased… or poor people who sold them!) 😱

✔️ Why they did it: There was no modern dentistry, so wealthy people paid for “fresh” teeth.

❌ Why we’re glad it’s gone: Imagine wearing someone else’s molars. Enough said.

6. 19th Century Cocaine Toothache Drops 💀

In the 1800s, people didn’t have ibuprofen—but they did have cocaine and heroin. Dentists prescribed “cocaine toothache drops” for pain relief (even for children!).

✔️ Why they did it: Before modern anesthesia, dentists used drugs like cocaine, heroin, and morphine to numb pain.

❌ Why we’re glad it’s gone: Turns out, cocaine is very addictive. Who knew? 🤦

7. The Early 1900s: Radioactive Toothpaste? ☢️

In the 1920s, radium (a radioactive element) was considered a miracle health cure. Some companies put it in toothpaste, claiming it made teeth glow with health.

✔️ The promise: “Radium toothpaste” was supposed to strengthen teeth and gums.

❌ The reality: It caused cancer. BIG oops.

8. The 1950s: Electric Shock for Cavities ⚡

Before the magic of fluoride, some dentists thought they could zap away cavities with electric currents. The idea was that shocking a tooth would make it stronger and prevent decay.

✔️ Did it work? Nope.

❌ Did it hurt? Probably.