But she did not abandon you.
When you were born after your months,
She was yet yoked (to you)
Her breast in your mouth for three years.
It is also noteworthy that the Ancient Egyptian doctors had a method of diagnosing
breastmilk that was not suitable for breastfeeding. Breast milkwas tested before
feeding the infant. If the milk smelled like fish it was deemed not suitable for breast-
feeding. The pungent odor of the breastmilk would be caused by the ill health of the
mother deemed and this health issue would have been also treated by the Sunu
(doctor).
Dental Caries
IthasbeenfoundbyresearchersthatthelaterperiodinAncientEgyptianhistory
sawahigherincidenceofdentalproblemsasopposedtotheearlierperiod.One
reasonthatiscommonlycitedisthepossibilitythattheAncientEgyptiandietwas
fullofsandduetothedesertwinds.However,noreportsofincreasedwindshave
beennotedinthelaterperiodversustheolder.Therefore,thiscauseissuspect.
Anotherexplanationcanbefoundinaculturalchange.ItiswellknownthatKemet-
iccultureunderwentamajorchangefromtheMiddleKingdomperiodtotheNew
Kingdom.TheMiddleKingdomperiodcametoanendwhenthecountrywasin-
vadedbyforeigners,whowerecalled“Hyksos.”TheseHyksoswereAsiaticswho
gainedcontrolofsomepartsofthecountry,sufficienttodisruptthesocietyandex-
poseittonewcustoms,foods,andnewmethodsoffoodpreparation.Thus,thepre-
viouslyhealthiestpeopleoftheancientworldwereaffectedbythestressesofmilit-
aryinvasionaswellasthestressesofsocialpressures,suchasthedesiretoconsume
sweets,cookedfoods,andaddtothesetheunhygienicconditionsengenderedwhen
thereisanyviolenceoradverseconditionsimposedonasociety.Ithasbeenfound
thatwhenthereispropernutrition,theincidenceofdentalproblemssuchasperiod-
ontaldiseaseandcavitiesisreduced,andfurther,thatthedamagefromtheseprob-
lems can be reversed without invasive surgeries or chemicals.
Fluoride, Dental Caries and Fluoride Toxicity
Sinceitsintroductionintothewatersupplyofmanywesterncountries,Fluoridehasbeentheobject
ofmuchcontroversy.Theargumenthasbeenthatinordertoprotectpublicheathandpromotebetter
oralhygieneanddentalheath,publicofficialsneededtoplacefluorideintothepublicwatersupply.
However,thoughfluorideisanaturallyoccurringcompoundinnatureandinthehumanbody,ithas