Toothache in 1309: Medieval Dental Care (Such As It Was)
My husband had two fillings today. A local anaesthetic, a numb face for a while, and now — understandably — a bit of soreness.
It made me wonder what tooth care actually looked like in 1309 England.
The short answer?
It existed… but optimism was doing a lot of the heavy lifting.
🦷 Daily “tooth care” (such as it was)
There were no toothbrushes, no toothpaste, and no real concept of preventative dental care.
People might:
- Rub their teeth with a cloth
- Chew on sticks or herbs
- Or simply… not bother
For wealthier households, tooth powders did exist. These were made from things like crushed herbs, sage, mint, charcoal, salt, or even ground shells. They were abrasive, sometimes scented, and meant to freshen the mouth more than protect teeth.
Sugar was still relatively rare, so medieval people often had fewer cavities than we might expect. But that didn’t mean healthy mouths. Teeth wore down quickly, infections were common, and abscesses could form without warning.
😬 When something went wrong
Toothache was widely blamed on “tooth worms” — tiny creatures believed to burrow into teeth and cause pain.
This wasn’t a random belief. It was accepted medical knowledge for centuries.
Treatments reflected that belief and included:
- Holding hot herbs or oils in the mouth
- Garlic, onion, or vinegar poultices
- Prayers, charms, and spoken incantations
And, very often, simply waiting and hoping the pain would pass
One particularly dramatic treatment involved fumigating the mouth with henbane seeds. When burned, the seeds produced worm-like ash, which was taken as proof the worms were leaving. The fact that henbane also contains sedative compounds helped convince everyone it was working.
It wasn’t safe. But sometimes, by accident, it eased the pain.
🪓 Medieval dentistry = extraction
There were no dentists as we understand them today.
If a tooth became unbearable, it was removed by either barber-surgeons, blacksmiths, or anyone with strong hands, confidence, and tools
Those tools might include pliers, hooks… or fingers.
There was no anaesthetic. Possibly alcohol. Possibly prayer. Mostly screaming.
🩸 Aftercare (ha!)
Bleeding was expected. Infection was common. If an infection spread, it could be fatal.
Many people simply lived with chronic tooth pain for years, adjusting their eating, sleeping, and daily life around it.
A small perspective moment 😌
So yes — my husband is sore now.
But he did not have a stranger wrench a tooth from his mouth in the market square while someone shouted “hold still” and another person fainted nearby.
Modern dentistry may not be fun… but it is, undeniably, a small miracle.