Beyond the Smile - Wesley J Allen

In Bible times:

"What is the matter honey? You seem down today."

"Oh, nothing much. I just have a toothache."

"The tooth worm... You are cursed. The gods will take you. I cannot stay. I must leave or they will get me."

"Get back in your place woman. You do not have a right to leave."

"Darn I wish the woman's club would hurry up with their Women's Lib promotion."

In those days, toothaches were often attributed to the "tooth worm," a mythical creature believed to bore into teeth. Because dental decay could lead to life-threatening infections, ancient civilizations developed specialized herbal treatments and aggressive surgical interventions