HistoryFacts: George Washington Had Wooden Teeth?

 

Photo credit: Star Tribune via Getty Images

Myth: He Had Wooden Dentures 

Half of this myth is correct: Washington definitely did wear dentures, and a set is even on display at Mount Vernon. He began losing teeth in his 20s and was forced to wear painful dentures for the rest of his life. Eighteenth-century dentures were a little different from modern versions and were made with all sorts of unique materials, including human teeth, cow and horse teeth, ivory (possibly of elephant or hippopotamus origin), and metal alloys such as lead-tin, copper, and silver. Wood, however, was never used in the construction of Washington’s dentures, though due to the discoloring of some of the materials, they might have appeared wooden, fueling this myth. 

Note:  The above comes directly from their website.

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