George Washington's Dental History and Relics

"The author has located and evaluated known references to Washington's oral apparatus. The Index of Dental Literature and the Archives of the Baltimore College of Dental Surgery, the world's first dental school established in 1840, were invaluable sources of information. Since it had in its' [sic] collections the most valuable set of Washington's artificial teeth, the college had been collecting all references it came across on the subject. The paper covers Washington's dental chronology, his life portraits, which give us the best idea of changes in Washington's appearance because of tooth loss, and the surviving dental artifacts. The conclusion discusses how Washington's dental problems affected his public speaking, diet, dining, bursts of temper, and portraits. The paper clears up the "wooden teeth" myth and puts Washington's dental history in a chronological sequence for future scholars." (p. ix).