Kool Smiles of Hampton

Unlike today, tooth decay in the past could be much more unpleasant. There wasn't a whole lot then to prevent the decay, and most people with toothaches found themselves in the hands of a barber-surgeon who would remove the rotten tooth, without using an anesthetic. Before the 18th century, removal could involve tying a string around the tooth, while drums/music played in the background to distract the patient before extraction, with the music growing louder up until that point. Can you imagine how stressful that could be?