References to dentistry in the Bible and Talmud

References were brought from the Bible and Talmud which prove that distinctions--morphological and functional--were recognized between incisors, canines, and molars. Diseases of the gums and pains originating from the teeth were cited from the Talmud. Examples were brought which show a clear distinction between a physician and a technician and also forms of healing and tooth-restoration were described. It is interesting that throughout most of these examples the dental patient is invariably a woman. Little has changed in this respect up to the present day, and, the woman still remains the dentist's most frequent patient.