From My Window

Many of you probably heard, as I did, that our first president, George Washington, had false teeth made of wood.  “Fake news,” according to the Mount Vernon Estate and Garden, which cares for the president’s former residence and history.  I was momentarily relieved, because I was wondering how in the world anyone could eat with wooden false teeth – or even how the teeth would have been kept in his mouth.

My relief was short-lived, though, because while he didn’t have wooden false teeth, the president had several sets made of “ivory, gold, lead, and human teeth.”  Wow.  Imagine how healthy lead teeth would have been – lead is a poison to humans, and having it right in your mouth?   That had to be the worst possible material for dentures.  And using teeth from other people?   Pretty high “ick” factor on that too.  The article I read indicated dentures were strictly for cosmetic purposes, and no one could eat with the denture technology of the day.  You removed your teeth to dine.

Most of the senior citizens I knew as a child had dentures.  According to the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, about 27 percent of adults over 65 in the U.S. have dentures, but the good news is that number has decreased for years.  Reasons include better preventative self-care; better professional care for those with affordable access, and the addition of fluoride to drinking water.   The technology of crowns, implants, bridges and other means of extending the life of human teeth have allowed most people to avoid dentures, even as our life expectancies have (mostly) increased.  There is a cadre of specialists who straighten misaligned teeth in young people, sometimes for cosmetic reasons but in others to prolong the life of natural teeth that are significantly misplaced.

A different tale is told by the remains of early humans.  I am fascinated by the paleo archeological studies of fossil human teeth and  those of Egyptian mummies.  Most were young people, because of the short lifespans in their time.  But their teeth were extensively decayed, with evidence of bone loss and abscesses, and teeth were worn down by a diet that contained abrasives, mainly sand.  Painful teeth were a fact of life in early societies, commonly treated with crude extractions or powerful painkillers like opium. 

Most of us don’t have much sand in our diets, and we have tools to maintain our teeth unheard of in earlier times.  Dental floss, a bewildering variety of tooth pastes with various claimed properties, water piks, electric toothbrushes and mouthwashes make it easier to preserve our natural teeth.  Regular dental checkups for those with affordable access catch problems early, and can prevent tooth loss much of the time.  The biggest enemies of tooth and gum health now are sugar, which is ubiquitous in our diets; inadequate cleaning, and frequent snacking.  

I grew up drinking well water at home and at my little country school, so I didn’t receive the benefit of municipally treated fluoridated water.  I wish I would have, because I had plenty of cavities as a child, despite my Mom’s strict enforcement of tooth brushing.  Part of our annual curriculum at Garfield was a unit on teeth, cumulating in distribution of new toothbrushes and little pink pills.  You brushed your teeth and then chewed up the pills, as I recall, and they would stain missed plaque on your teeth bright pink.  It was a pretty effective exercise.  I hope dental health is still a part of classes in schools.  Unfortunately not all the things you should learn at home are taught there.

If you pay attention to commercials, you would think the biggest issues Americans have with their teeth are bad breath and tooth discoloration.  Ads are full of people with blindingly white smiles, who admit their red wine or coffee stained teeth were ruining their social lives.    Now they are popular and have a great job because their teeth are white. Those are the kinds of things you worry about in wealthy countries when you reach the age of 30 and you still have your teeth and no problems eating.  If I had a magic wand, everyone would have basic access to dental care.  Eating is fundamental to life; it saddens me in a wealthy country like ours many suffer from preventable tooth loss because they can’t afford dental care.

At least for those who can access it, denture technology has come a long way too, and George Washington would be amazed at the quality and relative comfort of modern dentures.  No one has to suffer with toxic lead false teeth, or teeth scavenged from cadavers.  

My father died five years ago, at 90, and he still had his natural teeth.  My mom, who is a “senior plus” has hers, too.  More of us can look forward to outliving our teeth now than at any other time in human history.  It’s actually a huge success story, one we don’t think about often.

A salute to my Mom is appropriate here…she is a retired dental assistant.

You can reach me for commentary, alternative viewpoints or ideas at this e-mail address:  JanieTMartin@gmail.com.