St. Apollonia was a holy virgin who was martyred in Alexandria in the early 3rd century.
During a celebration of the founding of the Roman Empire, a mob began to attack Christians. According to the writings of Dionysius, the bishop of Alexandria, men seized Apollonia and broke all of her teeth. They then threatened to burn her alive outside the city if she refused to blaspheme against God or invoke the heathen gods. When she was given a little freedom, she sprang quickly into the fire and was burned to death rather than renounce her faith.
Apollonia is the patron saint of dentists, and is invoked for toothaches, because of the torments she endured. In art, she is often represented with pincers, holding a tooth.
