Nowadays, going to the dentist is a safe and usually painless experience. But that wasn't always the case. In past centuries, the only cure for a decayed tooth was to yank it out - without anaesthetic, and with only the beating of a drum to numb your senses and drown out your screams. Read on, if you dare - and learn how lucky we are to live in modern times.
This is Book 12 in the You Wouldn't Want to Live Without Series. See all You Wouldn't Want to Live Without books here.
See More Personal & social issues: body & health
See More History & the past: general interest
Fiona Macdonald, the author, is a historian specialising in writing books for the children's market. Her previous titles include Step into the Aztec and Maya Worlds.
More about Fiona MacDonaldJohn Malam studied ancient history and archaeology at the University of Birmingham, after which he worked as an archaeologist at the Iron Bridge Gorge Museum in Shropshire. He is now an author specialising in information books for children. He lives in Cheshire with his wife, a book designer, and their two children.
More about David Antram
