Dentistry
Your teeth are very important and a dentist will help you keep those teeth healthy for the rest of your life.
History
The first known dentist was Hesy-Re, an Egyptian scribe, who lived in 2600 BC. An inscription on his tomb includes the title “the greatest of those who deal with teeth, and of physicians.” In 400 BC Aristotle wrote about dentistry, including the eruption pattern of teeth, treating decayed teeth and gum disease, and using wires to stabilize loose teeth and fractured jaws. In 1790, Josiah Flagg, a well-known American dentist, constructed the first chair made specifically for dental patients. In 1840 the world’s first dental school was established. By the start of the 20th century 57 dental schools exist. The first nylon toothbrush appears in 1938 and the first electric toothbrush appears in 1960.
Why Teeth are Important
Obviously teeth are important for chewing food. In this day in age the most useful and most common use of teeth is identification. The first thing used in identification is fingerprints. But if a body is badly damaged so that fingerprints cannot be seen the body’s teeth are then used. While the body is frail, teeth are very strong and can last long after the body does. Teeth, like fingerprints are very unique in that no two are exactly alike so they can easily be used in identifying someone. An anthropologist can also determine where a person lived, what a person ate, a person’s age and race just by looking at the person’s teeth.
A Dentist’s Job
Dentists give advice and administer care to help you keep your teeth healthy. They also treat problems that people have with their teeth or tissues in the mouth. Dentists tell you how to brush and floss your teeth properly. They fill cavities, whiten teeth, remove tooth decay, extract teeth, repair teeth, and examine X-rays. They can also perform surgery on the gums and supporting bones to prevent gum diseases. Being a dentist woud be a great job to have because you get paid very well and you only work 4 days a week and you can have 20 vacation days.
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Dr. Griff DDS | Sep 23, 2008 | Reply
I am a dentist in practice 34 years. I agree that teeth are important, especially when you get old and are in a nursing home or hospital. Many elderly people starve themselves to death because they cannot eat. The ones WITH teeth do much better in hospitals.
I would like to say that dentistry is very demanding, close work. Plus, today the dentist is expected to work on people with compromised health. Daily I have to decide how to treat people with blood pressure problems, anxiety, and I have to evaluate the medications they are on. For the right person dentistry is a great profession but how well you get paid is a big variable. If you try for being a dentist, the money should be secondary to your desire to be a dentist. Also, most dental graduates have $250,000 in student loans to pay back for 8 years of college. Starting salaries as associate dentists are in the $50K-$60K range and ir costs over $200,000 to set up an office. I don’t get 20 days off per year and I’m 59 years old. Any day I take off, I pay for.
I think a lot of people under-appreciate how hard the dentist and his or her staff work, and concentrate on the bill without thinking what it costs the dentist to provide the services. If the kids were not drinking 32 ounce cokes and getting candy at school the kids would not have the dental problems they do today.