Tell me more ×
Skeptics Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for scientific skepticism. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 7 down vote favorite

When I was a kid, comic books and specifically cartoon characters who had a toothache were always drawn with bandages around their head, usually knotted above the head.

What I want to know is whether or not there is any medical basis for this, or is it simply just a convenient method to visually depict that a character has a toothache? What is the reason for drawing them like this?

EDIT: Example of such a cartoon. Toothache

share|improve this question
Do you have any example comics? – Oddthinking♦ May 31 '11 at 14:12
@Oddthinking For instance: Donald Duck … more: Google Image search – Konrad Rudolph♦ May 31 '11 at 14:14
I've seen that too in old (e.g. 18th century) cartoons. – ChrisW May 31 '11 at 14:15
The question title made me think of this: moms4mom.com/questions/4761/… but it's not strictly related. – Adam Davis May 31 '11 at 15:35

1 Answer

up vote 3 down vote

I think it was used to hold in place a poultice [e.g.] Such poultices could no longer be recommended where antibiotics and analgesics are available.

Alternatively, it may be being used to hold an ice-pack in place.There are plenty of examples of people getting the advice to use ice-packs on tooth pain: [e.g.]

share|improve this answer
Hmmm, I had actually forgotten about things like ice, but I didn't know that an old-time remedy was external poultices. Interesting. – DeVil May 31 '11 at 14:20

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.