Surprising Facts and Statistics About Dental Care

Nearly everyone in America has heard the tale about George Washington and his wooden dentures. You may be surprised to learn that this was only a fable. George Washington did have false teeth. However, they were made from a combination of human and animal teeth, not from wood.

George Washington was far from being the first person to wear false teeth. The oldest set of dentures to be discovered was in the skeleton of a man who lived approximately 4,500 years ago. This skeleton was found in Mexico in 2006.

Throughout the centuries in the past, there were many predecessors to the modern-day toothbrush. People cleaned their teeth with pieces of trees, quills from porcupines, and feathers. While it is believed that the first toothbrush was invented in the 1400s, this Chinese creation was made from bamboo and hog’s hair. The first toothbrush to resemble those used today was created in England, in 1780, by William Addis.

In the United States, the U.S. Army must be credited for the American public learning the necessity of regular tooth-brushing. The soldiers of World War II brought the habit to the general public. Prior to this period, many Americans did not realize that dental care needed to be a part of their daily lives.

While dentists and dentistry have been around for many centuries, concepts in modern general dentistry as it is known today can be attributed to Pierre Fauchaud. As far back as the 17th century, he was responsible for the creation of fillings, as well as the knowledge of how tooth decay occurs.

Between 300 BC and 500 BC, toothpaste was invented. The substances used were not similar to the products found today. It was not until the 1800s that more modern styles of toothpaste were invented. You may also be surprised to learn that the compounds of baking soda and peroxide which are popular today were actually made into toothpaste more than a century ago.

While the addition of fluoride in toothpaste first occurred in 1914, it was not well-received by the American Dental Association. The ADA did not approve fluoride for use in toothpaste until the 1950s. The first widely-used toothpaste containing fluoride was Crest. Crest is still available today, in a variety of styles and flavors. It has long been one of America’s favored toothpastes.