The tradition of celebrating International Dentist Day on February 9. International Day of dentist is gradually becoming popular in many countries. Somewhere it is also known as Toothache Day. Toothache Day).
The date of the holiday is timed to coincide with the day of remembrance of St. Apollonia (St. Apollonia). It can be assumed that there are good reasons to celebrate the professional holiday of dentists and dentists on this day.
Apollonia — is the daughter of a prominent Alexandrian official who believed in Christ. According to the persecutors of Christianity, she set a bad example for her fellow citizens, who had to adhere to polytheism and believe in the divine origin of the emperor. Apollonia was subjected to severe torture, demanding renunciation of Christianity. But the girl did not flinch in the face of death. She asked to be untied so that she could kneel down and fulfill the crowd's demand. When she was untied, the brave woman herself rushed into the fire. This happened on February 9, 249.
The suffering and Christian feat of Apollonia so amazed her contemporaries and descendants that the legend was born that as soon as you say the name of Apollonia, pray to her — the toothache will subside. In 300, Apollonia was canonized as a holy martyr. Her memorial day is February 9.
Dentistry is one of the oldest branches of medicine (Photo: seb_ra, licensed by depositphotos.com)
Dentistry is one of the oldest branches of medicine. The prototype of the first drill was used to treat teeth 9 thousand years ago. This unexpected discovery was made by scientists from the USA and France. Having examined the remains of people who lived in the 6th-4th centuries BC found in the Pakistani province of Balochistan, they discovered in some teeth almost perfect holes made during life with a diameter of 1-3 millimeters and a depth of up to 3.5 millimeters. The art of ancient «dentists» is also evidenced by the fact that in some cases hard-to-reach molars were drilled, and one of the holes was located on the inside of the jaw.
Information about teething, tooth growth and structure depending on age, as well as descriptions of symptoms of dental and oral diseases, treatment methods and recommendations for dental care were already presented in the 11th century in the «Canon of Medicine» Avicenna. By the mid-16th century, the French surgeon Ambroise Paré had made instruments for removing teeth and developed a technique for surgical interventions in the oral cavity.
The founder of dentistry as a profession and science is considered to be the Frenchman Pierre Fauchard (1690-1762). In 1728, he published the «Guide to Dental Surgery and Treatment», in which he systematized scientific and practical knowledge in the field of dentistry. But two inventions of the 19th century, the – dental chair and the drill, were truly revolutionary for dental practice. At the same time, special schools appeared that trained dentists.
It is important to remember not only about regular visits to the dentist, but also about preventive measures (Photo: evgenyataman, licensed by depositphotos.com)
The development of various sciences, including medical ones, as well as rapid scientific and technological progress have had a great influence on the development of dentistry, which is currently one of the most high-tech and rapidly developing branches of medicine. Thanks to modern technologies and drugs, the dental treatment procedure is becoming of higher quality and less painful.
I would also like to note that today’s — date is not only a good reason to congratulate dentists and dentists on their professional holiday, but to remind all people of the need to prevent dental diseases and the rules for maintaining oral health.
In Russia, International Dentist Day has been celebrated for several years, and every year it is becoming increasingly popular. And on March 6, the world celebrates another holiday for specialists in this profession — International Dentist Day.
Postcard «9 February — International Dentist Day»