Inquiring readers, Every once in a while a writer from another website contributes an article that is custom made for this blog. Jennifer Vishnevsky, a writer for TopDentists.com, writes about false teeth and dentistry in an era when anesthetics were not yet available.
Pierre Fauchard. Image @Wikimedia
The 18th Century was a major time for advances in dentistry. It is believed that the French physician Pierre Fauchard started dentistry science as we know it today. In 1723, Fauchard published “The Surgeon Dentist, a Treatise on Teeth.” His book was the first to describe a comprehensive system for caring and treating the teeth. Thus, he is considered the father of modern dentistry. Fauchard was responsible for many developments, including the introduction of dental fillings and the use of dental prosthesis.
In 1760, John Baker, the earliest medically-trained dentist to practice in America, emigrated from England and set up practice. In the same decade, Paul Revere placed advertisements in a Boston newspaper offering his services as a dentist.
This print is by Thomas Rowlandson (1756-1827) and is dated 1787. It is a satirical comment upon the real practice of rich gentlemen and ladies of the 18th century paying for teeth to be pulled from poor children and transplanted in their gums. Image @Children and Youth in History
In 1790, the first dental foot engine was built by John Greenwood, son of Isaac Greenwood and one of George Washington’s dentists. It was made from an adapted foot-powered spinning wheel. This was also the year that the first specialized dental chair was invented by Josiah Flagg, who made a wooden Windsor chair with a headrest attached.
Image @Daily Mail
Even those treated by the best dentists were in for an agonizing time. “A Treatise on the Deformities and Disorders of the Teeth and Gums” was written in 1770 by Thomas Berdmore, who was considered to be an outstanding dentist in England. “Pass gold wire from the neighbouring teeth on either side, in such a manner as to press upon what stands out of the line.” The alternative, Berdmore suggested, was to ‘break the teeth into order by means of a strong pair of crooked pliers.”
Fauchard, procedure for teeth restoration. Image @Wikimedia
For those who could afford it, the European diet grew sweeter during the 18th Century as the use of sugar became more widespread. This exposure to sugar meant more instances of tooth decay. These dietary changes were a major factor in the development of dentures. Dentists began to experiment with ivory in order to create a better foundation for dentures. Due to advances in technology, dentists could also add gold springs and plates to the new dentures. False teeth were a novelty that was mostly unheard of in earlier centuries. Previously, problematic teeth were pulled but almost never replaced. Ivory dentures were popular in the 1700s, made from natural materials including walrus, elephant, or hippopotamus. For the wealthy, human teeth were high in demand as the preferred material for the creation of dentures. However, the teeth used in 18th Century dentures eventually rotted. There was a high demand for teeth that were deemed healthy, such as from criminals.
George Washington’s dentures. Image @Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry, Baltimore
One of the most famous early denture wearers was the first U.S. President George Washington. Washington began losing his teeth in his 20s, probably due to a combination of frequent illness and treatment with a medication called calomel that damaged the enamel of the teeth. Contrary to popular belief, however, Washington’s dentures were not made of wood. Washington sported some of the highest quality false teeth of the time, consisting of a denture plate made of carved hippopotamus ivory into which human teeth (along with parts of both horse and donkey teeth) were fitted. He had several other pairs of dentures during his presidency, none of which included wood in their construction.
A French Dentist Showing a Specimen of His Artificial Teeth and His False Palates, Thomas Rowlandson, 1811. Image @The Independent
18th century porcelain dentures Image @CBBC
Full or even partial dentures were properly developed only during the course of the 18th Century. Dentists became better at making them fit, coming up with stronger adhesives to keep the teeth attached to them and designing them so as to prevent them from flying out of their patients’ mouths. By the late 18th century, there were yet more developments. Around 1774, Alexis Duchâteau crafted the first porcelain dentures. But these were prone to chip and also tended to appear too white to be convincing. Porcelain shaped teeth were placed onto gold plates. These were the first dentures that look similar to modern dentures. They were very white in color, but could be made in different shades.
Guest contributor Jennifer Vishnevsky is a writer for TopDentists.com, an Everyday Health website on dental health, as well as a freelancer for other lifestyle media sites.
Jane Austen writes about taking her nieces to the dentist. One had a tooth pulled, I think, and the other had her teeth filed.
On a more grusome note: There were ads in newspapers after the battle of Waterloo advisng the public that the dentists had Wateloo teeth to use in making dentures.
Young strong teeth from corpses of healthy young men.
Someone sent scroungers across the battle field to pull teeth of corpses.
Of course, some would advertise that they had Waterloo teeth when they actually had Newgate ones– but that has always been the way of ad men.
Interesting post.
Excellent piece (and comment from Nancy).
The past is always fascinating, but I wouldn’t like to live there (other than in my imagination).
Reblogged this on Ella Quinn ~ Author.
My DH is a dentist. I must show him this post! Thanks Ella!
As you can see, I reblogged. It was already tweeted. Great post.
So why are do the porcelain teeth above look as if they need to be pulled and replaced with better teeth? Did they purposely paint them as rotted teeth so the fellow would fit in with his friends?
Hi Liza, those porcelain teeth were discovered in a grave. I imagine that the damage might have been done underground. However, after seeing Les Miserable, the movie, one imagines that people of yore walked around with dirty teeth or no teeth and didn’t think much about it.
All I can say is that I am so glad to be living in the 21st century and that I have use of my nice little water pic.
Really interesting. I am going to send it to my friend who is a dentist.
Thanks for this great post. At the JASNA conference in Brooklyn last fall, I attended a talk for people interested in learning how they could submit an article to Persuasions or apply to give a breakout presentation at future conferences. One of those giving the talk, I believe it was the amazing Juliette Wells, said the Persuasions editors were always interested in Regency-era topics that illuminated something about the era and somehow related to Jane Austen, even if they seemed slightly obscure and wacky. The hypothetical title she offered was “Teeth in Pride & Prejudice: Regency-era Dentistry.” The room erupted in laughter, and Ms. Wells added, “Actually, that might be really interesting.”
And so it is! I am hoping for a follow-up article on dental hygiene — how people tried to prevent their teeth from being pulled in the first place. An old book I have, “The Complete Servant,” has recipes for toothpaste and instructions on making your own toothbrush. (out of “marine marsh-mallow roots”)
In the Wynne Diaries– a letter from a naval captain is included in which he asks for toothbrushes and tooth powder. It was less than 100 years ago that tooth paste became the norm over tooth powder.
When I was a child we had to brush our teeth with soap.
I’ve never heard of brushing teeth with soap (except where punishments were involved!), but baking soda was quite common. Didn’t they use chalk in regency times?
Thank you for such a fascinating post!
One of the less romantic aspects of the Georgian period!
When I went to Malmaison in 2007 there was an exhibit of “necessaires”, which included sophisticated dental “necessaires” with many different implements to clean teeth. The guide explained that contrary to popular opinion, people did in fact take care of their teeth,
Excerpts from the catalogue: http://rmn.fr/francais/les-musees-et-leurs-expositions/musee-des-chateaux-de-malmaison-et/expositions-50/Indispensables-necessaires
What an interesting post.
Oh my word so scary!
This is wonderful. I love the ‘treatise’ on the deformities of teeth and gums.
I think our “society” now thinks he “everything” invented! We are far from it. Much of what we know has already been invented before we were born!
And, in an airport bathroom in Amsterdam several years ago, I saw an African woman withdraw a twig from her bag and vigorously use it to “brush” her teeth and gums!
Following Eileen; I recall my desert Arabs in my survey crew in Libya, back in the 60s, used to sit around the fire rubbing their teeth with ash from the cooking fire mixed with sand. A bit harsh I would think. I saw at least one native N. American use a twig to clean his teeth when I worked in the bush—heck…I think I did it myself to get rid of stubborn particles when out at work. Just trim down a spruce twig with the Swiss Army knife and try not to leave any sap on the wood—it tastes terrible.
Very interesting post. The comment about teeth from Waterloo corpses made me feel a bit queasy.
Wow, that’s weird, but interesting. Never knew that before!
Urgh! No, just no! Pulling teeth from young children and transplant it on your own sounds about the worst thing anyone could do. Just shows the great disparity that must have existed.
In India, the traditional method of cleaning teeth was chewing on a long piece of neem bark.