The Founding Fathers’ Dental Care

The 4^th of July is just days away, so we thought it would be fun to find out what kind of dental hygiene our Founding Fathers might have practiced! In addition, there are a few wooden-teeth related misconceptions that we’d like to put to rest once and for all!

• George Washington never had wooden teeth!
  We have all heard that George Washington has wooden dentures, but it’s not true! We have no idea how this rumor came to be, but it ended up helping Washington’s image as he was seen as a more down-to-Earth, relatable kind of guy. We don’t really feel like the truth needed any embellishing though, because it’s pretty interesting all on it’s own. George’s dentures were actually made of hippopotamus ivory and are currently residing at the National Museum of Dental History.
• George Washington was among the first to attempt having teeth implantation.
  Before his hippopotamus smile, George Washington was one of the first people in America to have teeth implants. In a very sad and ill thought procedure, Washington ordered teeth to be extracted from the mouths of slaves and implanted into his own mouth. This method proved to be incredibly ineffective, as the teeth only lasted a few months (we think it has something to do with karma).
• Benjamin Franklin took mercury pills!
  Benjamin Franklin is known for his cleverness and wisdom. Sadly, this did not extend to his health, as he made some weird decisions later in his life. When he got older, Ben Franklin contracted gout and suffered with kidney stones. He thought it would be a good idea to take mercury pills to ease his suffering and lost several teeth as a result!

Dentistry has come a long, long way since the days of our Founding Fathers! Celebrate the 4^th of July with a dental cleaning and exam (we promise not to send you home with any hippo teeth dentures!)

To make an appointment, please contact Auburn Family Dental, located in Wichita, KS!