title: References to dentistry in the Bible and Talmud.
abstract: References were brought from the Bible and Talmud which prove that distinctions--morphological and functional--were recognized between incisors, canines, and molars. Diseases of the gums and pains originating from the teeth were cited from the Talmud. Examples were brought which show a clear distinction between a physician and a technician and also forms of healing and tooth-restoration were described. It is interesting that throughout most of these examples the dental patient is invariably a woman. Little has changed in this respect up to the present day, and, the woman still remains the dentist's most frequent patient.
mesh_terms: D001633:Bible; D002835:Christianity; D003800:Dental Technicians; D003814:Dentistry, Operative / Q000266:history; D003815:Dentists / Q000266:history; D006665:History of Dentistry; D049690:History, Ancient; D007599:Judaism; D008513:Medicine in Literature; D010510:Periodontal Diseases / Q000266:history; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D014070:Tooth; D014076:Tooth Diseases / Q000266:history