Ever Wondered What George Washington’s Teeth Were Actually Made Of?

The Founding Fathers may have just been men, but in the eyes of Americans, they’re so much more. After all, they freed us from British tyranny!

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Naturally, there is a great deal of myth and legend associated with these men – none more so than George Washington. One of the most enduring Washingtonian myths is the commonly held belief that George Washington had wooden teeth.

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George Washington did not have wooden teeth, ever, at all. He DID have dentures, due to some pretty horrific dental issues, but they most certainly were not made from wood.

These are Washington’s actual dentures. As you can see, not wooden.
Photo Credit: Facebook, Dental Assistant Hub

It is widely documented that Washington used a variety of full and partial dentures throughout his life. None of them were wooden (because how would that even work?). But they were made of some weird materials, including human, cow, and horse teeth, ivory, lead-tin alloy, and silver. Also included was gold metal wire and springs, and brass screws. Washington would even reuse his own previously pulled teeth in his dentures. After having the teeth pulled, he would immediately require they be mailed to his dentist to be put to good use.

Additionally, deep within one of Washington’s Mount Vernon account books is record of a transaction showing that Washington purchased 9 real teeth from ‘Negroes’ for 122 shillings. Historians aren’t sure if Washington was using these teeth for his dentures, or was a part of a blackmarket tooth smuggling ring…but it’s an interesting part of the story nonetheless.

Washington’s Mount Vernon Estate
Photo Credit: Wikimedia

As historian John Smith, Jr. wrote in the Journal of the American Revolution:

“George Washington never had wooden teeth, nor did anybody of his time. It would have been kind of dumb to make teeth out of wood when better materials were available.”

Literally no one at the time was using dentures made of wood. NO ONE. As early as 1700, dentures were being made of a variety of natural materials including the ivory of walrus, elephant, and hippopotamus tusks. The wealthiest folks had their dentures made using human teeth – which, believe it or not, were a hot commodity at the time.

These natural materials still decayed, however, so folks were often left with a second set of decaying teeth.

A set of ivory dentures from 1801 using human teeth for the front teeth.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia

Washington suffered from dental issues his entire life. When he became president in 1789, he had only one tooth, a single premolar. Historians suspect it was due to a combination of bad genes and even worse 18th-century dentistry. Since a smile with a single tooth and a whole lot of gums wasn’t the most presidential look, Washington wore dentures.

Portrait of Washington at the time of his inauguration…only one tooth in his head. 
Photo Credit: Wikimedia

Despite the legend of his physical strength, Washington’s failing teeth were a consistent source of suffering for him throughout his life. As early as age 24, Washington was getting his teeth yanked. Throughout his diary entries, he regularly talked about his aching teeth, swollen gums, ill-fitting dentures, and myriad other issues related to his mouth.

Now, back to the wood. The only explanation historians can come up with to explain the source of the ‘wooden denture’ myth is that, after months of usage, his dentures would become stained and take on an appearance similar to woodgrain due to little microfractures in the ivory or bone.

Another set of Washington’s dentures, these ones stained pretty bad.
Photo Credit: Facebook, Joseph Iannacone

Washington’s dentist, John Greenwood, told him he was supposed to clean them daily…but George liked his wine. In a letter to Washington in 1798, Greenwood wrote him regarding a particular set of dentures sent to him:

“The sett you sent me from philadelphia…was very black…Port wine being sower takes off all the polish.”

The now fully discredited story of Washington’s wooden teeth does, however, have a slight shred of truth to it. Nothing to do with the wood, of course, but related to stories that were told about Washington spending time working on his own dentures. In one version of the ‘Wooden Teeth’ myth, it is said that Washington sat under a tree and carved the wooden teeth himself. While he never carved his own teeth, it is true, however, that he would often make repairs to dentures that were originally crafted by Greenwood.

An 18th Century guide for tooth restoration. 
Photo Credit: Facebook

It is also important to note that the ‘Wooden Teeth’ myth remains the only myth connected to a major Founder that highlights a physical frailty or issue. Washington sacrificed his health in dedication to public service – he experienced pretty significant pain and discomfort related to these dentures. Also, the size and composition of them led to some odd facial distortions, evidenced by his closed mouth and tight lips in virtually every portrait.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Perhaps the belief that Washington had dentures made out of wood, as opposed to the technologically advanced and expensive dentures he did wear, helped to make him more common and accessible to the average person. It balances the imposing status of the man presented in other myths like the ‘Cherry Tree’ legend, and humanizes a man who we otherwise place on an untouchable pedestal.

Or perhaps people just sometimes get weird ideas.

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This ‘War of Niceness’ Between a Married Couple and the Gay Couple Next Door Is Hilarious

Nextdoor neighbors are a dice roll. Some are fine, but others can be an absolute nightmare. They might block your driveway, blare loud music, steal your newspaper, etc. etc. Luckily, one married couple found themselves living next door to the nicest gay couple on the planet. People on tumblr can’t get enough of their hilarious attempts to outdo one another. It’s an epic saga that’s sending some major positive vibes around the internet.

Cat and her wife moved next door to an impossibly friendly gay couple and it honestly makes me wish I lived in the neighborhood

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Things escalated quickly and they found themselves at a disadvantage to the couple’s politeness.

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In the end, it seems like they just couldn’t compete with the hospitality, which is a pretty nice problem to have.

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Folks on Tumblr couldn’t have been happier with the story.

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Pretty soon more commenters chimed in with their own stories.

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Cat gave fans of the story an update, they moved away but they still keep in touch.

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It just goes to show you that it’s worth it to pay it forward and spread as much positivity as possible. We could use more neighbors like Mr. and Mr. Nice.

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Someone Made Charts To Explain Countries’ Flags And The Results Are Hilarious

Do you remember how old you were when you learned that flags actually meant something? As a kid, I thought they were just a random assortment of colors and stripes that looked cool, when in reality they carry a lot of significance. That’s why these internet users made these handy charts to help explain the “true” meanings behind each country’s flag. Are they 100% accurate? No. Are they 100% hilarious? Absolutely.

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7. (This is the Brazilian flag)

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10 Horror Movie Wikipedia Pages That Will Send Chills Down Your Spine

Wikipedia is so full of useful (and useless) information that it’s easy to waste countless hours reading through pages on everything from historical events to old episodes of Power Rangers. But it’s especially useful when it comes to learning about movies that you might not want to invest two hours into watching.

In the spirit of wasting time (and learning some stuff, too), here are 10 Wikipedia pages for horror movies that will creep you out. So click the links to read up on these films and then have a seat and watch them. Warning: for adults only!

1. The Poughkeepsie Tapes (2007)

2. Cannibal Holocaust (1980)

3. The Three Mothers Trilogy (1977)

4. A Serbian Film (2010)

5. Tusk (2014)

6. Joy Ride (2001)

Photo Credit: 20th Century Fox

7. The Human Centipede (2009)

8. The Exorcism of Emily Rose (2005)

9. Psycho (1960)

10. The Exorcist (1973)

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Dog Lovers Are Going To Love These 10+ Hilarious Tweets

If you’re a dog lover then you’ll definitely relate to these funny tweets. We truly don’t deserve dogs. They’re just too good for this cruel world we live in. They’re just so lovable, it’s no surprise that dog owners/parents spend so much time thinking about and caring for their dogs.

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Turns Out Lightning Can Strike the Same Place Twice… And Here’s Evidence

“Lightning doesn’t strike twice.”

It’s a phrase we’ve all heard a time or two in our lives, and one we’ve all probably believed at one point or another. While it makes for a fine anecdote, science has other things to say.

Photo Credit: Pixabay

In fact, it’s almost inevitable that lightning will strike the same place twice. As soon as a lightning bolt hits the ground, a new one is not deterred in any way, shape, or form from hitting the same spot again. A good example is lightning hitting tall buildings. Take a look at this video from the tallest building in Chicago, now known as the Willis Tower.

That night the Willis Tower was hit by 10 bolts of lightning. According to storm chaser Dan Robinson, tall buildings are most likely to be hit by multiple lightning strikes.

But what about human beings? Can they be hit more than once? The story of Roy Sullivan proves that even that phenomenon can occur.

I remember seeing poor Mr. Sullivan in the Guinness Book of World Records as a kid for his unfortunate encounters with lightning. Sullivan was a park ranger in Virginia who was struck by lightning an incredible 7 TIMES between 1942 and 1977, more than any other human being on record. So be careful out there during thunderstorms. You may think you’re safe, but you never know…

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These 20 Interactions Between Strangers Will Leave You Smiling

Articles like this one help bring us all together… even when the world feels more divided than ever.

The following 20 strangers demonstrate how we should be treating each other every single day. It’s a breath of fresh air, don’t you think?

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15 Tumblr Posts Woman Are Going To Love

Listen up ladies, this is something you need to pay attention to.

These 15 post by women on Tumblr you’ll be nodding your head in agreement to.

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