By Venice Ibrahim

Index
- Introduction -Herodotous and the ancient Egyptian civilization -Egyptian language and its interpretation -Information & data concerning ancient dentistry -Ancient Egyptians dentists - Ancient Egyptians medical tools -Ancient Egyptians dental diseases -The Egyptian medical papyri -Egyptians medical recipes& interventions -The use of Modern science and Technology -Conclusion

Introduction
- Ancient Egyptians were skilled in medicine in different fields known today - The profession of dental physician existed since the early third millennium - Physicians were specialized for specific diseases or organs, some dealt with eye, head and some with teeth or belly etc. -Lioness Sekhmet was believed to bring epidemics and disease. She was also the patroness deity of doctors, other Gods and Goddesses for the diseases, ex., Gods Amun and Horus were responsible for treatment of eye diseases etc., -Imhotep was chief vizier to Zozer, high priest, astrologist, pyramid designer, a physician, the founder of medicine, Egyptianssw believed that he had great healing powers, and considered him as a God of medicine. -Since the 1st dynasty (3150 2925 BC), medical institutes called peri-ankh or houses of life existed as teaching centers, and in those houses medical books and papyri were written and preserved. -A code of ethics was followed, with an oath was made by physicians. In the tomb of Nenkh-Sekhmet, Chief of Physicians in the 5th dynasty, the following sentense is written: Never did I do anything evil towards any person.

Herodotous and the ancient Egyptian civilization

Born : c.484 BC Halicarnassus, Caria, Asia Minor Died : c.425 BC (aged approximately 60) Thurii, Calabria or Pella, Macedon

HERODOTUS, mentioned that 'The practice of medicine in Egypt is so divided among them, that each physician is a healer of one disease and no more. All the country is full of physicians, some of the eye, some of the teeth, some of what pertains to the belly, and some of the hidden diseases
an ancient Greek historian who was born in Halicarnassus, Caria (modern day Bodrum, Turkey) He has been called the "Father of History", and was the first historian known to collect his materials systematically, and test their accuracy to a certain extent and arrange them

Herodotous and the ancient Egyptian civilization

In the fifth century B.C. Herodotus remarked on the degree of specialisation he found in Egypt. Most of the known specialist medical titles were carried by a certain Ir-en-akhty except for dentists who carried the separate title ibeh

False door of the multi-specialist Ir-en-akhy (10th Dynasty)

Egyptian language and its interpretation

-Athanasius Kircher German polyhistorian (1602 - 1680) proposed

nonsensical allegorical translations (Lingua Aegyptical restituta, 1643). -Thomas Young (1773 -1829), the author of the undulatory theory of light, assigned correct phonetical values to five hieroglyphic signs .

Dr. Thomas Young

Athanasius Kircher

Egyptian language and its interpretation

-Finding the Rosetta stone was the final decipherment, starting in 1822, by the work of the Frenchman Jean-Franois Champollion, 1790 - 1832, cf. Prcis du systme hiroglyphique des anciens gyptiens par M.Champollion le jeune, 1824.
Samples of three different scripts on the Rosetta Stone Top: Heiroglyphs; Middle: Demotic; Bottom: Greek

Jean-Francois Champollion Rosetta Stone

Information & data concerning ancient dentistry

Egyptian dentists tomb, at Saqqara, near the step pyramid-oldest in Egypt

Hieroglyphic details, including eye and tusk symbols representing dentistry profession chiseled on the entrance of the tomb honoring 3 dentists served the nobility in ancient Egypt-Iy Mry -the chief dentist is pictured on the wall ,thus the swallow, tusk and arrow, meant 'chief dentist and doctor

Information & data concerning ancient dentistry

Rosalie David unwrapping the female mummy 1770 in 1975

Modern investigations employ virtually nondestructive techniques to study disease in mummies, members of the Manchester Mummy Project used endoscope to take tissue samples from the mouth of a mummy. Manchester Museum, University of Manchester)

Information & data concerning ancient dentistry

10

Information & data concerning ancient dentistry

mandible of a 4th dynasty mummy (2625 - 2510 BC). with a gold wire bridge

The earliest evidence of ancient dentistry we have is an amazingly detailed dental work on a mummy from ancient Egypt that archaeologists have dated to 2000 BCE. The work shows intricate gold work around the teeth. The two donor teeth had holes drilled into them, wires were strung through the holes and then around the neighboring teeth.

El-Quatta Bridge'

The World first Dental Bridges

11

Information & data concerning ancient dentistry

- Examining skeletal and mummified remains from ancient Egypt can provide evidence for the dental health of the ancient Egyptian civilisation where tooth ailments was frequent as some mummies show evidences of severe infections and loose teeth, as people believed that the cause of the decays were worms. - Egyptian pharaohs were known to have suffered from periodontal (gum) disease, Radiographs of mummies confirm this fact. - The skulls and jaws found in burial shafts and tombs almost all show attrition.

Upper jaw of Tao II Seqenenre. The teeth are heavily worn, healthy and tartar free

Worn ancient Egyptian teeth showing an abscess drainage hole

Dental Surgery, Jaw of ancient Egyptian showing drill holes used in dental repair. Courtesy of the Gordon Museum

12

Information & data concerning ancient dentistry

Attrition

Ancient Egyptian mandible c. 1,500 BC. Courtesy of Duckworth Collection, Cambridge University

The dental drill dates back 9,000 years ago

13

Information & data concerning ancient dentistry

Head of the mummy of Amenhotep III. He had lost some of his front teeth due to alveolar abscesses

study of more than 3,000 mummies has revealed a nightmare array of dental diseases.

14

Ancient Egyptians Ancient Egyptians dentists dentists

-The earliest ever record of a physician was Hesy-Ra, 2700 BC, who was "Chief of Dentists and Doctors" to King Djoser. -Merit Ptah (2700 BCE)was an early physician in ancient Egypt. She is most notable for being the first woman known by name in the history of the field of medicine, and possibly the first named woman in all of science as well. Her picture can be seen on a tomb in the necropolis near the step pyramid of Saqqara. Her son, who was a High Priest, described her as "the Chief Physician". -Also Peseshet (2400 BC, 4th dynasty, old kingdom) was known as the supervisor of all female doctors her own stela in the tomb of Akhet-hotep, probably her son, in Giza

Hesy-Re, head of dentists

15

Ancient Egyptians dentists Ancient Egyptians dentists

Merit Ptah Hesy-re, Head of Dentists Old Kingdom, 3rd Dynasty

Peseshet

Imhotep

16

Ancient Egyptians medical tools

Wall of twin temple of Com Ombo temple with surgical instruments carvings and queen in labor on an obstetric chair

Com Ombo temple

17

Ancient Egyptians medical tools

(1) knives; (2) drill; (3) saw; (4) forceps or pincers; (5) censer; (6) hooks; (7) bags tied with string; (8, 10) beaked vessel; (11) vase with burning incense; (12) Horus eyes; (13) scales; (14) pot with flowers of Upper and Lower Egypt; (15) pot on pedestal; (16) graduated cubit or papyrus scroll without side knot (or a case holding reed scalpels); (17) shears; (18) spoons.

Com Ombo inscription detailing ancient Egyptian medical tools

18

has basically three functions for which it is

Ancient Egyptians medical tools

Wooden tools

Bronze tools

Iron tools

Stone tools

Copper tools

19

Ancient Egyptians dental diseases

-Attrition was the most common affection in ancient Egypt, Caused by the coarse diet (which may have lacked minerals and vitamins) and the presence of sand, husks, and sometimes straw in their bread. -Abscesses, inflammation of the gums and jawbone, and tooth loss was also detected. -As well caries ,calculus formation and others

Molars suffering from attrition

root caries on the mandibular right third molar [left] and left first molar [right

abscess on mandibular right

20

Ancient Egyptians dental diseases

maxillary M3 with a large cavity

mandibular M2 displays large caries

apical abscess on right maxillary PM2 and antemortem tooth loss

Extensive dental wear

21

Ancient Egyptians dental diseases

Dental wear and impacted

Lower jaw with traces of a periodontal

abscess ( the small hole in the bone)

A skull showing severe periodontal disease, antemortem tooth loss, Calculus formation and apical abscesses

22

The medical papyri

The first medical texts, date from late 12th Dynasty to 20th Dynasty (20001090B.C), and there are Several Egyptian medical papyri and the most important of all are as follows: -The Kahun Gynecological Papyrus (1820B.C) gynecology

The Kahun Gynecological Papyrus

23

The medical papyri

-Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus (1600 B.C) wounds and fractures it also contains a list of instruments, including lint, swabs, bandage, adhesive plaster (x-formed), support, surgical stitches and cauterization -The Ebers Papyrus (1534 B.C) where tooth extraction, treatment of mouth ulcers and treatment of jaw dislocation were dealt with.
Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus

Part of the The Ebers papyrus

24

The medical papyri

-The Hearst Papyrus (14 50B.C) -The Erman Papyrus (1550 B.C) -The London Papyrus (1350B.C) -The Berlin Papyrus (1350B.C) -The Chester Papyrus (12000B.C)
Chester Papyrus

Hearst Papyrus

London Papyrus

Berlin Papyrus

25

Egyptians medical recipes& interventions

1. Eb. 89. 2-3. For fixing a loose tooth. A mixture of crushed seeds, ochre, and honey made into a paste and applied to the tooth. 2. Eb. 89. 4-6. For toothache. A paste of ground-up vegetable and mineral substances with honey. 3. Eb. 89. 6-7. For a septic tooth (lit. 'a tooth that gnaws into an opening in the flesh'),the ingredients are of an astringent nature: cumin, colocynth, and frankincense. 4. Eb. 89. 8-9. For treating the teeth by rinsing in the mouth. In this case two plants are to be chewed and spat out. The vehicle is sweet ale. 5. Eb. 89. I O - I I . For inflammation of the gums, perhaps stomatitis. The drugs are the homely date and beans, which are to be exposed to the dew, mixed with milk, and chewed and spat out, for nine days.
Herbs Honey Frankincense
Ochre clays(limonite) hydrated iron (III) oxide

26

Egyptians medical recipes& interventions

6. Eb. 89. 11-12. Another for the same. In this case the vehicle is oil and water. 7. Eb. 89. 12-13. A paste for 'making healthy' the teeth. Two vegetable drugs, mandrake and species of Potentilla, chewed and spat out. The vehicle is sweet ale. 8.Eb. 89. 14-15. For 'eating blood' in a tooth. This idiomatic expression is understood by Dr. Ebbell to mean 'scurvy'.
Potentilla

colocynth

Dates

Mandragoe (Mandrake)

27

Egyptians medical recipes& interventions

1. Fixing a loose tooth mixture of crushed seeds, ochre, and honey made into a paste and applied to the tooth. 2. Toothache paste of ground up veggies and minerals with honey. 3. Septic tooth cumin, colocynth, and frankincense. 4. Treating the teeth by rinsing the mouth two plants are chewed and spat out. Inflammation of gums dates and beans, which are exposed to dew, mixed with milk, and chewed and spat out, for nine days. 5. Making teeth healthy two vegetable drugs, mandrake and species of Potentilla, chewed and spat out
Milk

Beans

Spices

28

Egyptians medical recipes& interventions

Pharaonic dentists were experts with reconstruction works as there have been three instances of a dental bridges where one or more lost teeth were reattached by the use of a gold or silver wire to the surrounding teeth

The gold wire is 0.35 m in diameter, its tubular construction is demonstrated by the seam along its length. Magnification x8 of some of the fractured ends revealed its central bore.

29

Modern science and technology used

Magnetic resonance based 3-dimensional reconstruction CT scan of the skull at the level of the posterior fossa in an excellent condition of maxillary teeth with no discernible enamel wear. The right third molar is partially erupted indicating that the individual was young at death

Tooth spaces show open

30

The use of Modern science and Technology

frontal reconstruction of dentition damaged mesial neck of teeth 15 and 27 due to caries (arrows)

Coronal caries on the first molar is shown (arrow)

31

The use of Modern science and Technology

British Museum mummies being scanned

32

Conclusion

Ancient Egyptians were pioneers in various field of science and knowledge and most probably what we know about them is just a little of what they had and more will be known and discovered through excavations, discoveries, use of technology, etc., Great appreciation to our ancestors, makers of civilization hoping to follow their lead enlighting and enriching life with useful science.

33

34