Health and Wellness Review

Dental drilling is at least 9,000 years old

Archaeological excavations in Pakistan’s Baluchistan province have unearthed skeletons with clear evidence of dental work. Eleven teeth from nine individuals were found with drilled holes. Wear around the drill site confirms all were alive when their dental work was performed. Decay and other evidence suggests the drilling was done to relieve pain, not for cosmetic or other reasons.

The neatly-drilled holes were likely made with flint-tipped drills, believed to have been inspired by the work of bead-drilling artisans. Researchers used a similar tool to create comparable holes in under one minute. Still, considering the complete lack of anesthetic, it would have been an appallingly painful minute! Let’s take a moment to appreciate modern dentistry, shall we?

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