Jason Bonds @BondsThink - Twitter Profile

@Rainmaker1973

10 days ago

Ancient Maya dentistry protected teeth from decay with advanced adhesives. Long before modern dentistry, the ancient Maya of the Classic period (A.D. 250–900) were masters of dental modification. Skilled artisans used copper tubes and quartz abrasives to precisely drill cavities into the front teeth — carefully avoiding the pulp and sensitive nerves — before inlaying precious stones such as jade, pyrite, or turquoise. These gemstone inlays served as powerful symbols of social status, beauty, and religious significance, often representing the “breath of life.” Remarkably, the practice was widespread across social classes and was even performed on children as young as seven years old. What makes this ancient technique truly remarkable is the sophisticated adhesive used to secure the stones. Recent chemical analysis reveals that Maya dentists crafted a durable, plant-based cement from resins (including pine), bone meal, and other organic compounds. This glue not only held the inlays firmly in place for over a thousand years but also possessed potent antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Far from causing harm, these dental enhancements likely acted as protective barriers against tooth decay and infection. By combining aesthetic luxury with practical medicinal science, the Maya created one of the earliest known examples of therapeutic dentistry. [Hernández-Bolio, G. I., et al. (2022). "Organic compositional analysis of ancient Maya tooth sealants and fillings." Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 44, 103480. DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103480]

Rainmaker1973's tweet photo. Ancient Maya dentistry protected teeth from decay with advanced adhesives.

Long before modern dentistry, the ancient Maya of the Classic period (A.D. 250–900) were masters of dental modification. Skilled artisans used copper tubes and quartz abrasives to precisely drill cavities into the front teeth — carefully avoiding the pulp and sensitive nerves — before inlaying precious stones such as jade, pyrite, or turquoise. These gemstone inlays served as powerful symbols of social status, beauty, and religious significance, often representing the “breath of life.” Remarkably, the practice was widespread across social classes and was even performed on children as young as seven years old.

What makes this ancient technique truly remarkable is the sophisticated adhesive used to secure the stones. Recent chemical analysis reveals that Maya dentists crafted a durable, plant-based cement from resins (including pine), bone meal, and other organic compounds. This glue not only held the inlays firmly in place for over a thousand years but also possessed potent antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Far from causing harm, these dental enhancements likely acted as protective barriers against tooth decay and infection. By combining aesthetic luxury with practical medicinal science, the Maya created one of the earliest known examples of therapeutic dentistry.

[Hernández-Bolio, G. I., et al. (2022). "Organic compositional analysis of ancient Maya tooth sealants and fillings." Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports, 44, 103480. DOI: 10.1016/j.jasrep.2022.103480]

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5 months ago

In 2012, John Unger was captured floating his dog to sleep in Lake Superior. His dog had developed arthritis & had weeks to live. John responded by taking 'Schoep' to the water every night to ease the pain in his final days.