Is it true that George Washington had wooden teeth?

If you rely on the famous American legend, then the first US President George Washington had artificial wooden teeth. The politician really faced big problems with his teeth.

The young lumberjack

Six-year-old George Washington had a brilliant new ax, and he could not wait for the moment when he would start using it. He split a couple of small branches that fell to the ground near the foot of the fruit tree, and, feeling a surge of emotion, began to cut down the neighboring cherry. A few minutes later, George's battle with the tree ended. He managed to cut it down, but, wiping the sweat from his forehead, he realized his mistake. Soon he confessed that he had cut down his father's favorite cherry tree.

Although this vivid episode from George Washington's life is fictional, the trees played a key role in his destiny. In the end, he had to wear a full set of wooden teeth.

Early loss of teeth

Numerous stories about the first president of the United States illustrate the problems with the teeth that bothered him in adulthood. At the age of 24, Washington was a frequent visitor to dental surgeries: he constantly removed his teeth. Made much later records in the diary recorded his battle with caries and other diseases.

Modern doctors are convinced that the president lost his teeth because of the misuse of mercury, with which he was treated for smallpox and malaria.

Throughout his adult life, Washington relied on partial and complete dentures. Unfortunately, none of them has ever been too good and they all provoked a strong puffiness in the gums. Regardless of how badly they were performed, there is no evidence that the dentures were carved out of wood. At their manufacture much more strong materials, for example such, as an ivory or even human teeth were used.

Unique false teeth

Sometimes, in order to help specialists make suitable prostheses, Washington offered its own dropped teeth. He also bought the teeth of African Americans (at that time it was common practice), which were sold together with brass screws, lead and gold metal wire.

Dentist John Greenwood made a unique false jaw made of elephant ivory and rhinoceros bones. Lead and gold were also used.

True, this jaw did not give politics the disposal of painful painful sensations. Until the end of his life he had to use potent opium.

Problems with teeth

Despite all the dental problems, Washington did not want anyone to know that he had dentures inserted. However, this was not so difficult to guess, because badly fitting artificial jaws forced the shape of Washington's face to undergo significant changes. His upper and lower lips protruded. Sometimes prostheses, like a spring, jumped out of his mouth.

Being in old age, Washington constantly struggled with such nasty prostheses for him. He spoke less often, he smiled. Perhaps, for this reason, his face often took on a harsh expression.