An antique dental air compressor dating from before the modern era of cosmetic dentistry has been placed up for auction on eBay.
The piece was made in Baden, Germany in 1916 by the Ritter company, which was founded by Frank Ritter in the late 1880s.
Weighing in at 40 kg, the unusual relic has been posted on the site by the charity Dentaid in the hope of raising money for oral healthcare in the developing world.
“Unfortunately, we are unable to use this product in any of our current projects. The sale of this compressor will contribute towards helping to sustain oral health overseas,” a spokesperson for the charity said.
The organisation relies on public donations to provide 58 countries with dental equipment and help improve training and services.
A minimum price of £350 has been set for the compressor and interested parties have until July 23rd to bid.
It was recently revealed in the journal ACS Nano that a new peptide gel could soon replace the need for fillings to treat cavities and root canal problems.
