Dentists, dentistry and dental diseases in ancient Egypt

Abstract

Ancient Egyptian dentists come into the spotlight in this dissertation. While some scholars doubt their existence, it is indisputably shown that not only did they exist as a profession, but evidence is offered as to the various diagnoses and treatments they rendered. The Ebers medical papyrus together with other ancient similar medical ‘textbooks’ are analysed and prescriptions dealing with dental maladies are presented. Dentistry as a profession is elucidated in all its facets: diagnosing and treating dental diseases; prevention and care; and restorative and surgical treatment. This dissertation discusses dental anthropology as a vital part of bioarchaeology, which is the study of human remains in archaeological contexts in ancient Egypt. Dental enamel is the hardest material in the human body, and teeth are often preserved even when bones are not. Teeth are one of the most informative parts of the human body, and are incredibly well preserved archaeologically. Teeth provide insight into numerous issues that palaeodemography and historians are concerned with, including diet changes, general stress, how closely groups were related, and markers of social identity