Dental Facts

The Spirited History of Halloween

October 19th, 2017

Halloween is great time for families to celebrate the fall season, and get to know your community through local festivals and trick-or-treating. But, how long have we been celebrating Halloween, and what does the holiday represent? Below, we’ll tell you about the original traditions associated with this festive holiday.  

A Look at Old Ireland

Halloween is over 2000 years old and originates in Celtic Ireland with the Festival of Samhain. The Festival of Samhain celebrates the incoming Celtic New Year, which begins on November 1st. The festival honored deceased ancestors and celebrated the end of the harvest. The ancient Celts believed that the bridge between seasons (between October 31st and November 1st, by their calendars) was also a bridge to the world of the dead, and they used this time to honor their deceased ancestors by holding rituals that celebrated life and death.  

Early America

As European and Native American groups began coming together, early forms of Halloween were celebrated as “play parties,” public events held to celebrate the harvest. During play parties, neighbors would gather to tell stories of the dead (ghost stories), dance, sing and get into some good old-fashioned mischief (tricks!).  

Modern American Halloween

By the late 1800’s, newspapers and community leaders urged Americans to focus less on tricks and ghosts, and emphasize being neighborly and communal. Because of these efforts, modern Halloween began to break away from the traditions associated with the Festival of Samhain 

Between the 1920’s and 1950’s, trick-or-treating became more popular and was widely encouraged in neighborhoods and classrooms across America. Trick-or-treating was seen as an inexpensive way for the entire town to celebrate the holiday, and engage the community.  

Trick – Or – Treat?

Early trick-or-treating was done when poor citizens would beg for food and offer prayers for the ancestors of a charitable passerby. People began passing out “soul cakes” to the beggars, named after the souls for which the beggar would pray. Later, children adopted the practice by going door-to-door and soliciting food, ale and treats in exchange for prayers. The traveling solicitation was called “going a-souling” by participating children.  

Wide scale acceptance and practice of trick-or-treating was not a part of the American mainstream until the early 20th century.  

Today’s Spooky Celebration

Now, Americans spend just over 6 billion dollars each year on Halloween, making it the second largest commercial holiday in the United States. Additionally, one quarter of all candy sold in the United States is sold at Halloween, and costs about 3 billion dollars.

Have a Happy Halloween!

We would like to wish all of our patients and their families a happy and safe Halloween. If you are passing candy out this year, consider sharing some mouth-healthy treats with your neighborhood children like dark chocolate and sugar free lollipops.

The Truth about George Washington’s Teeth

June 23rd, 2016

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George Washington, the first President of the United States and revolutionary general, had dental problems his entire life. When he was inaugurated President in 1789, he only had one real tooth remaining in his mouth. A man known for his strength and resolve, Washington’s great oral pain sometimes made it quite difficult for the renowned orator to deliver speeches, and govern the infant United States.

Early Dentistry Was Not Great

Dentistry in the 18th and 19th Centuries was nowhere near as studied or effective as the modern dental practices used today. Toothbrushes were typically made of animal bone or silver, and the bristles were often made out of hog bristles, or horse and badger hair. Toothpaste was made of crushed seashells or charcoal, and usually was unscented, which lead to awful breath and terrible gum health. When someone had a tooth infection, they would just call the local blacksmith to pull it out for them – without anesthesia – because he had access to a wide variety of metal tools. When Washington was in office, he didn’t have access to laser dentistry, fluoride rinses, real toothpaste, or even floss! No wonder his teeth were in such bad shape.

https://vimeo.com/69921972

His Teeth Were Not Wooden

One common myth about Washington was that his dentures were made of wood, this is in fact not true! The first U.S. President had a variety of dentures made of ivory, gold, and even lead. The wooden-toothed myth was most likely born by misconception. Washington often enjoyed port wine after meals, which would stain and crack his ivory teeth, leaving them looking like wood. In fact, John Greenwood, who served as one of his dentists, examined a set of his ivory teeth and wrote back, “the set you sent me from Philadelphia…was very black…Port wine being sour takes off all the polish.” Modern historians and forensic dentists have speculated – and widely agreed – that this was the cause of the wooden teeth myth!

Washington Kept His Lost Teeth

Instead of sharing his lost teeth with the tooth fairy, President Washington collected the teeth that he lost. He intended on saving them to be used as implants in new dentures, and even wrote a letter to his cousin requesting that he ship his lost teeth to him while he was away in New York. However, one of his first set of dentures, made by artist Charles Wilson Peale, used both elephant and human teeth on the lower row, while experts think that the upper row was constructed of cow’s teeth! There is no known record of Washington successfully using his own teeth as implants in a set of dentures, but there are extensive written letters documenting him saving his own teeth.

Washington’s struggle with good dental hygiene reminds us that we are lucky to have modern technology aid us in getting – and keeping – a healthy smile. He called health “among (if not the most) precious gift.” So make America’s founding father proud by brushing and flossing twice per day, for two minutes at a time. We only have one set of teeth, so take care of them!