Dentistry has been around for centuries. Obviously, it did not start at the complexity that it is at today, but throughout history, it has developed into what we know now. Since February is National Children’s Dental Health Month, it is a perfect time to learn more about dental hygiene and the importance of taking care of your teeth. Taking care of your teeth and even your gums is very important. Junior Ethan Storey said that he “brushes my teeth twice a day, once in the morning and once at night, and I use anti-cavity mouthwash and floss once a day.” Thankfully, dentists are here to help us with that. 

  Did you know dentistry is actually the oldest medical profession? Dentistry has been around for thousands of years, dating back to 7000 B.C. However, it did not become an established profession until much later in the early 1700s. Pierre Fauchard, known as the Father of Modern Dentistry, had published his most influential book that takes the reader into detail about a comprehensive system that explains how to take care of teeth; this book helped define the practice of dentistry. 

  In the early 1900s, a dentist in Connecticut by the name of Alfred Fones was one dentist who understood the importance of oral care being able to reuse the number of bacteria found in the mouth. Because of this, Fones employed his cousin, Irene Newman, and trained her to become the first licensed dental hygienist to implement this idea of dental hygiene duties found in a clinical setting. It was not until 1952 that all fifty states had licensed dental hygienists.

  Now dentistry is very evolved and will hopefully become more developed in the following years. Thanks to the last 100 years, there have been many advancements in this field, and we can expect many more. In these past 100 years, there have been both the creation of fluoride toothpaste and the invention of the porcelain crown. Fluoride has been proven to help our teeth from decaying, so if you are wondering why you need to be brushing your teeth twice every day, this is why, other than the fact that it can help prevent bad breath. Porcelain crowns can help strengthen weak teeth, especially one that have been decaying, from breaking and can even help hold together a chipped tooth. 

  Enjoy celebrating this month with some new floss, a new toothbrush, or even a visit to the dentist! Say thank you to your dentist next time you are in for a cleaning and also say a thanks to Pierre Fauchard, the Father of Dentistry.