Taking place in our Medicine Man gallery, the tour looks at some historical teething problems and solutions. Meet the tooth worm – long thought to be the cause of many a toothache and find out how it was treated. Explore a range of other treatments and charms, including prayers dedicated to St Apollonia, the patron saint of toothache sufferers, thought to be efficacious for dental pain, while on the other hand, consider sophisticated dental prosthetics produced in ancient times.

The development of dental hygiene is revealed through such items as Napoleon’s toothbrush and dentures made from hippopotamus ivory, before finally bridging the gap between past practices and modern day dentistry.

Portable induction loops for hearing aid wearers, and portable amplifiers for non-hearing aid wearers are available to borrow for tours, upon request. If you would like to make use of this equipment, would like more information or if you have any other access related enquiries, please email access@wellcomecollection.org or call +44(0)20 7611 2222