Neanderthals drilled cavities to treat a toothache 59,000 years ago

A groundbreaking study reveals that Neanderthals were pioneers in dental care, as they reportedly treated a toothache over 59,000 years ago in what is now southwestern Siberia. This ancient dental procedure involved using a sharp stone tool to drill into a tooth, effectively removing infected tissue and alleviating pain. The evidence comes from a tooth discovered at the Chagyrskaya Cave in Russia, which has been identified as the oldest known indication of dentistry or direct medical intervention. The tooth, an upper third molar, exhibits a significant cavity reaching into the pulp chamber, the area that contains nerves and blood vessels. Paleoanthropologist Alisa Zubova and her research team noted distinct scratches around the cavity's edge, suggesting that the drilling was likely a deliberate attempt to relieve pain from an infection. "This demanded special analysis," Zubova remarked in an interview with PLOS. While drilling into a tooth to alleviate discomfort may seem counterintuitive, it turns out this technique is one of the least invasive methods to eliminate infected tissue. By exposing the pulp chamber, the nerves can die, effectively reducing pain. Such practices would not become widespread until much later, but it seems at least one Neanderthal had already discovered this method and sought assistance. To confirm the intentionality behind the hole, Zubova and her colleagues employed advanced techniques, including scanning electron microscopy and micro-CT imaging. They even created their own stone perforator to test its efficacy on human teeth, further investigating this remarkable glimpse into ancient dental practices.