Painless dentistry? By 1882, this was a reality - chloroform was in common use in the dentist's office. Conversely, by 1901, dental care was apparently such that it wasn't uncommon for a person to have lost at least four teeth by age 21! As "Medicus" advises us in his article on toothache, choosing a good dentist was as important in Victorian times as it is today (and possibly as difficult).

The Toilet: The Mouth (Peterson's, 1856)

How to Preserve the Teeth (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1876)

Bright Eyes and Teeth Like Pearl, by "Medicus"* (Girl's Own Paper, 1880)

Tic-Douloureux and Toothache: Prevention and Cure, by "Medicus"* (Girl's Own Paper, 1882)

"Painless dentistry at one time used to be a meaningless term, but it is not so nowadays.... The Americans are exceedingly careful of their teeth. The English ought to take example by them; if they did we would see fewer old men and women with receding jaws or artificial teeth."

What to Do for the Toothache (Cassell's Family Magazine, 1883)

How to Take Care of Teeth, by Jane Walker, M.D. (Girl's Own Paper, 1896)

Use tincture of myrrh if your gums have a tendency to bleed...

Why We Lose Our Teeth, by "The New Doctor" (Girl's Own Paper, 1901)

"So rare is it to see a perfect set of teeth, that anyone who has lost less than four of them before her twenty-first year is completed should consider herself particularly lucky..." A fascinating look at the dangers of poor tooth care and contemporary methods for tending the teeth.

The Care of the Teeth in Relation to Health, by Oscar Homberger, DDS (Drapers' Self-Culture, 1913)

*"Medicus" was the pen-name of Gordon Stables, M.D., R.N., health columnist for The Girl's Own Paper. Read the complete collection of Medicus Columns from 1881-1902 in chronological order.