George Washington did not have wooden teeth. He lost his teeth one by one from his mid-twenties, and had only one left when he became president in 1789. His dentures were made of materials such as a lead base, human and cow teeth, elephant ivory, brass wires and steel springs. They were uncomfortable and painful to wear.
George Washington’s dentures quick facts
- Washington had his first tooth pulled in his mid-twenties.
- He had only one of his own teeth left when he became president at 57.
- One set of his dentures used lead, human teeth, cow teeth, ivory, brass wires and steel springs.
- His dentist, John Greenwood, kept Washington’s last tooth in a gold locket.
- In 1784 Washington paid enslaved people for nine teeth.
Most people know George Washington as the first President of the United States. His face is on the one-dollar bill. But he had a secret that caused him pain for most of his adult life: his teeth.
Who was George Washington?
George Washington was born on 22 February 1732 in Westmoreland County, Virginia. He led the American armies in the American Revolution, from 1775 to 1783, and then served as the first president of the United States, from 1789 to 1797.
He died on 14 December 1799 at his home, Mount Vernon, in Virginia.
Throughout all of this, from his twenties until his death, Washington was troubled by his teeth.
A lifetime of tooth trouble
Washington had his first tooth pulled out when he was in his mid-twenties. After that, he lost them one by one.
By the time he was sworn in as president in 1789, at the age of 57, he had only one of his own teeth left. That last tooth was soon pulled out too.
The US National Library of Medicine describes a long list of dental problems during his life. He saw many dentists and bought all sorts of things to try to keep his teeth healthy and to treat tooth decay and pain.
Teeth in the 1700s
It helps to imagine what looking after teeth was like in the 1700s. There was no fluoride toothpaste, no electric toothbrushes and no regular check-ups.
Many people suffered from toothache and lost teeth when they were quite young. Dentists could pull out bad teeth, but they could do little to save them.
Washington did try to look after his teeth. He owned a travelling set for cleaning them, with a container for tooth powder, a toothbrush and a tongue scraper, all in a case. He regularly bought toothbrushes, tooth scrapers, files for his dentures, toothache medicine and cleaning liquids.
Living with toothache
Imagine having toothache that comes back again and again, for years. That was life for George Washington.
A bad tooth could make his face swell and make it hard to eat, sleep or think. Yet he still had to lead armies, meet important visitors and make speeches.
Looking after his teeth took a lot of his time and money. His records are full of payments to dentists and purchases of things to clean his teeth and ease the pain.
Did Washington have wooden teeth?
No! This is one of the most famous myths in American history, but it is not true. Washington’s false teeth were never made of wood.
Wood would have been a poor choice anyway. It would have soaked up spit, swelled, cracked and rotted in a person’s mouth.
Nobody knows for sure how the wooden-teeth story began. One idea is that old dentures made of ivory and real teeth became stained and cracked over time, with fine lines that could look a little like the grain of wood.
What were his dentures made of?
Washington’s false teeth, called dentures, were remarkable pieces of work for their time. He wore many sets over his life, some partial, replacing a few teeth, and some full, replacing all of them.
One of his full sets had a base made of lead. The teeth were a mixture of human teeth, cow teeth and elephant ivory. They were held in place with brass wires and steel springs.
Another set was made of human and animal teeth, lead, brass wire and steel springs. Some of his dentures also used gold.
| Material | What it was used for |
|---|---|
| Lead | the heavy base that sat in the mouth |
| Human teeth | some of the false teeth |
| Cow teeth and ivory | other false teeth |
| Brass wire | holding the teeth in place |
| Steel springs | joining the top and bottom sets |
| Gold | used in some sets |
Using a mixture of human and animal teeth was not unusual at the time.
How the dentures worked
Washington’s full dentures had a top half and a bottom half, joined at the back by steel springs.
The springs pushed the two halves apart, pressing them against his gums so they stayed in place. That also meant he had to keep his mouth closed firmly, or the dentures could spring open.
The dentures were bulky and did not fit well. The National Library of Medicine says they were often uncomfortable and painful when he ate and spoke.
Marvels of their time
Washington’s dentures may sound strange to us, but in the 1700s they were among the best that money could buy. JSTOR Daily calls them technological marvels of their day.
Each set had to be carved and fitted by hand. The dentist had to shape the base to fit Washington’s gums, set every tooth in place and fix the springs so that the two halves worked together.
Even so, they never fitted perfectly, and the springs and wires needed frequent repairs. Washington often sent his dentures back to be adjusted, repaired or remade.
Washington’s dentist
Washington’s most important dentist was Dr John Greenwood, from New York. Greenwood made new dentures for him and repaired old ones, following Washington’s own instructions.
When Washington’s very last tooth was pulled, Greenwood kept it. He put it in a gold locket, which he wore on the chain of his pocket watch.
Teeth from enslaved people
There is a darker side to this story. Washington’s household records show that in 1784 he paid enslaved people, who are not named, for nine teeth.
At that time, some dentists put real human teeth into dentures, and people who were poor, or enslaved, sometimes sold their teeth. Enslaved people had little real choice about such things.
Historians do not know for certain whether those nine teeth ended up in Washington’s own dentures. But the record reminds us that the story of his teeth is also part of the story of slavery at Mount Vernon, the Virginia plantation where Washington lived and where many enslaved people were forced to work.
His teeth in pictures
Washington’s dental problems may have changed the way he looked. The painter Gilbert Stuart made some of the best-known portraits of him. In some famous portraits, his mouth looks tight and his lips look full, and some people think his dentures were the reason.
Speaking clearly with bulky false teeth was hard, too. That may be one reason Washington was known for being quiet and careful with his words.
False teeth today
False teeth are still used today, but they are very different from Washington’s.
Modern dentures are made from strong, light plastics that look like real teeth and gums. They are shaped using careful moulds of a person’s mouth, so they fit much better and are far more comfortable.
Dentists can also fix and save many teeth that would have been pulled out in Washington’s day, with fillings, crowns and other treatments.
What we can learn
Washington’s story shows how lucky we are today. Modern toothpaste, dentists and check-ups mean that most people can keep their own teeth for their whole lives.
So brush your teeth twice a day for about two minutes, cut down on sugary food and drinks, and visit the dentist regularly. Your teeth have to last you a lifetime. They will thank you, and you won’t need a set of springs to keep them in!
Three things people get wrong
George Washington did not have wooden teeth. His dentures were made of materials such as lead, ivory, human and cow teeth, brass and steel springs.
He did not have just one set of false teeth. He wore many partial and full dentures during his life.
He did not keep his own teeth as president. He had only one tooth left when he became president in 1789, and it was soon pulled out.
Did you know? Washington’s dentist, Dr John Greenwood, kept the president’s very last tooth in a gold locket on his watch chain.
Try it
Look at a picture of George Washington on a one-dollar bill or in a portrait. Look closely at his mouth and chin. Can you see why some people think his dentures changed how he looked?
Knowledge check
Were George Washington’s teeth made of wood?
Show answer
No. His dentures used materials such as lead, ivory, human and cow teeth, brass and steel springs.
How many of his own teeth did Washington have when he became president?
Show answer
Just one.
Frequently asked questions
Did George Washington have wooden teeth?
No. George Washington never had wooden teeth. His dentures were made of materials such as lead, human teeth, cow teeth, elephant ivory, brass wires and steel springs.
What were George Washington’s dentures made of?
One set of Washington’s dentures had a lead base with human teeth, cow teeth and elephant ivory, held with brass wires and steel springs. Other sets used gold as well.
How many teeth did George Washington have?
George Washington lost his teeth one by one from his mid-twenties. When he became president in 1789, at 57, he had only one tooth left, and it was soon pulled out.
Who made George Washington’s dentures?
Washington’s most important dentist was Dr John Greenwood of New York, who made and repaired dentures for him, following Washington’s own instructions.
Did George Washington use teeth from enslaved people?
Washington’s records show that in 1784 he paid enslaved people for nine teeth. Historians do not know for certain whether those teeth were used in his own dentures.
Why did George Washington lose his teeth?
Washington suffered from tooth decay and dental problems for most of his life. In the 1700s there was no fluoride toothpaste, and dentists could do little more than pull out bad teeth.
Sources
- US National Library of Medicine: George Washington and medicine — his dental problems, the materials in two sets of dentures, his tooth-care items and his dentist, John Greenwood
- JSTOR Daily: were George Washington’s teeth taken from enslaved people? — when he lost his teeth, the 1784 purchase of teeth, the materials of his dentures and the wooden-teeth myth
- Encyclopaedia Britannica: George Washington — his birth, death and time as commander in chief and president
