Historical fun facts about teeth and smiles
In this week’s blog from Dental Center 4Smile, discover fascinating historical facts about teeth and smiles!
Cotton candy machine
– A dentist invented the cotton candy machine!
Before it was known as cotton candy, the fluffy treat was called “fairy floss.”
Kissing a donkey
– In medieval Germany, it was believed that the only cure for a toothache was to kiss a donkey.
Victorian tradition
– In the 1800s, people in England who had dentures would eat in their bedrooms before social gatherings and events.
This unique Victorian tradition spared them the embarrassment of their teeth “falling out” during dinner.
Ancient Chinese tradition
– Ancient Chinese people would often wrap tiny parchments around their aching teeth, which contained written riddles and prayers to relieve pain.
The stone-faced farmer
– The stone-faced farmer in Grant Wood’s famous painting American Gothic was actually the artist’s dentist.
Mummies with fillings
– In Egypt, mummies have been found with dental fillings made of resin and malachite, and gold wire was used to bind loose teeth.
What was used before toothpaste?
– Long ago, people used charcoal or ground chalk, ash, lemon juice, and a mixture of honey and tobacco to clean their teeth.
Toothpaste was only invented about a hundred years ago.
Tooth worms
– Cavities were once blamed on “tooth worms.”
The first historical reference to dentistry dates back to 5000 BCE in a Sumerian text.
We’re not entirely sure what they meant by “tooth worms”- it was a very different time, but it’s a pretty disturbing mental image, isn’t it?
When did cavities become a problem?
– Although our ancestors didn’t brush their teeth, they actually had fewer cavities than we do today.
Bigger problems with tooth decay arose from dietary changes – modern diets are high in sugar and low in vitamins.
Blackened teeth
– Ohaguro, or “blackened teeth,” was a very popular tradition during Japan’s Heian period (794–1185).
The practice of dyeing teeth black was not only widespread in Japan but was also considered a beauty standard in Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, and China.
Novocaine wasn’t invented until 1903
– German chemist Alfred Einhorn formulated the first known local anesthetic, which he called procaine – but today we know it as Novocaine, a trademarked name.
We use dental anesthesia every day in our clinic, and not a day goes by that we don’t think of all the people before this era who had to bravely endure dental work without it.
George Washington’s dentures
– Most people have heard the “fact” that George Washington had wooden teeth.
In reality, his dentures included human teeth (including ones stolen from enslaved individuals), as well as false teeth made from ivory, hippopotamus tusk, and gold.
Father of modern dentistry
– Pierre Fauchard is considered the father of modern dentistry.
In 1723, this French surgeon published The Surgeon Dentist, a Treatise on Teeth.
It was the first book ever to offer a comprehensive overview of dental care and treatment.
He was also the first to identify sugar as a cause of tooth decay and introduced the concepts of dental prosthetics and fillings.
First licensed female dentist
– The honor of being the first licensed female dentist goes to Lucy Beaman Hobbs in 1866.
After being denied entry to medical school, she turned to dentistry instead.
