George Washington didn’t have wooden teeth!
Did you know that George Washington’s teeth were not made of wood? Take a peek at the first president’s famous choppers and find out more about his tooth troubles during Presidents Weekend, Saturday, February 13-Sunday, February 14, 2010. Wear red, white or blue and get $1 off adult admission!
“Many people are surprised to find out that George Washington never had wooden dentures,” said Museum Curator Dr. Scott Swank. “We think the myth arose since ivory dentures tend to stain like wood after years of eating and drinking.”
The National Museum of Dentistry features a gallery devoted to the first president and his tooth troubles. His dentures—made of ivory—are on display, as well as forceps made to pull his teeth on the Revolutionary War battlefield and examples of presidential portraits that show how tooth loss affected Washington’s appearance.
Washington lost his first tooth when he was 22 years old. Despite the fact that he brushed with tooth powder daily, he would have only one tooth in his mouth by the time he was inaugurated president in 1789. Washington had many illnesses during his life, including smallpox and malaria. Treatments included remedies such as mercurous chloride, which is known to destroy the teeth.
His favorite dentist, John Greenwood, would make several sets of dentures for George Washington during his lifetime—and none of them would be made from wood. In fact, they were carved from hippopotamus ivory and elephant ivory. Some of the dentures were set in gold and held in place with springs that held the upper and lower teeth together.
Your Spitting Image web site launches
Did you know that a person can be identified from the DNA in saliva left behind on a postage stamp? The average person creates enough saliva each day to fill a soft-drink bottle? Teeth can survive fires reaching 2012 degrees F?
Your Spitting Image, a new educational web site from the National Museum of Dentistry, reveals what your mouth says about you. Find out how forensic scientists use dental records and DNA analysis to solve real missing person cases, discover the telling secrets revealed by saliva, and find out how your mouth is a window to health for your body.
This interactive web site features an in-depth exploration of forensics, saliva, and bioengineering as it relates to science, dentistry, and oral health. Key scientific topics include DNA, genetics, the mouth/body connection and stem cells. It can be used alone for scientific exploration in the classroom or in conjunction with a field trip to see the companion exhibit at the National Museum of Dentistry in Baltimore or at one of the venues across the country hosting a traveling version of the exhibit.
Three sections explore the science of dentistry and oral health. In Forensics: Solving Mysteries, learn how forensic dentists help law enforcement identify missing persons using x-rays, bitemarks, and DNA testing. Find out how saliva protects our teeth and how our mouth is connected to the health of the rest of our
body in Saliva: A Remarkable Fluid. Bioengineering: Making a New You, explores how stem cells and genes are being used to grow replacement teeth and cure disease.
Interactive activities include:
-An exploration into how a few drops of saliva can be used to determine genetic make-up, diagnose infections, identify illegal drug use, and more.
-A step-by-step illustration of how forensic dentists can extract DNA from a tooth to learn the identify an unknown victim
-An animated cartoon featuring squirmy germies that show how brushing, flossing and rinsing leads to a healthy mouth
-A visual timeline of the various ways mankind has sought to replace missing teeth for thousands of years, from the ancient Egyptians to the future of tooth replacement
Teacher guides provide easy-to-understand, illustrated lessons for middle and high school students. All materials are designed to meet the National Science Education Standards.
The web site also provides detailed information about the Your Spitting Image traveling exhibitand how it can be brought to communities nationwide.
The Your Spitting Image web site was made possible by a generous grant from the Patterson Companies Foundation.
New MouthPower educational CD
The National Museum of Dentistry has partnered with United Concordia Dental to produce a CD-ROM version of the Museum’s popular MouthPower oral health education program. Modeled on the MouthPower Online program (http://www.MouthPower.org), the CD-ROM will assist dentists and hygienists in educating their patients about the benefits of good oral health.
The program features the chatterteeth character Mouthie in an interactive laboratory where children can learn how to brush and floss, make smart food choices and steer clear of the pitfalls of tobacco. The CD-ROM includes easy-to-use, bilingual lessons and fun activity sheets that will help children learn good oral health habits. It will be distributed to 45,000 United Concordia participating dentists nationwide, as well as to those who request the program through the Museum.
“The secret to a healthy smile is simple—taking good care of your teeth,” said National Museum of Dentistry Executive Director Jonathan Landers. “The MouthPower program shows kids how to do that in a fun and educational way.”
“We are excited to partner with the National Museum of Dentistry to share this outstanding oral health education program with our participating dentists,” said Karen A. Whitesel, United Concordia Dental Corporate Vice President of Professional Relations. “Our hope is that this exciting tool will help dentists teach their young patients lifelong habits that maintain healthy smiles.”
The National Museum of Dentistry’s MouthPower oral health education program teaches children about good oral health around the world through its online game (available in English and Spanish at http://www.mouthpower.org), across the country in a popular traveling exhibit and on site at the Museum in Baltimore in a hands-on exhibit. The program is also being adapted to be used with Head Start programs in Baltimore City and as a mentoring program for Girl Scouts.
To order a free MouthPower CD-ROM, e-mail or call 410/706-9599.
