Some ancient civilizations believed that toothaches were caused by a "toothworm." The Aztecs of Mexico believed that you could get rid of toothworms by chewing on hot chili. An Indian surgeon (circa 650 A.D.), explained that toothworms could be killed by filling the tooth cavity with wax and then burning out the wax with a hot probe. While in ancient Rome, toothworms were expelled by fumigating the mouth with smoke, followed by rinsing.
Islamic physician, Avicenna, (980-1037), also advocated fumigation for toothache.
Pliny the Elder believed that curing a toothache was simple. He suggested catching a frog under a full moon, prying open the frog's mouth, spitting into it and saying, "Frog, go, and take my toothache with thee!"
In Colonial times, Native Americans used the bark of trees to relieve a toothache.
Other colonial remedies (1747 to 1751) included a month of fasting, chewing cloves; filling the cavity of aching teeth with a piece of garlic, a whole black peppercorn or some salt, or applying a poultice of dried mule's ear (wildflower) leaves.
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