Visiting the Dentist Was a Nightmare
Hygiene in the Wild West was a far cry from the standards we take for granted today, and dental care was no exception. A visit to the dentist wasn’t exactly a sought-after experience. In an era bereft of toothbrushes and dental floss, tooth loss was all too common, often at the hands of grim implements.
One of the obscure facets of Wild West history unveils the primitive tool wielded by blacksmiths and barbers for the daunting task of tooth extraction. In an age devoid of professional dentists, these individuals with the know-how applied pliers with brutal efficiency. To compound the agony, there was no semblance of pain relief to cushion the harsh reality of this dental ordeal. The Wild West’s unrelenting terrain spared no one, not even their teeth, from its unforgiving trials.