Did George Washington Have Wooden Teeth?

Quick Answer: Did George Washington Have Wooden Teeth?

No. George Washington did not have wooden teeth.

His false teeth were made from many things. They used hippo ivory, elephant ivory, human teeth, cow teeth, gold, lead, brass wire, and steel springs. They did not use wood.

So why do people still say they were wood? The answer is simple. Ivory can stain, crack, and turn dark with age. After many years, it can look like old wood.

Mount Vernon, the Smithsonian, the National Library of Medicine, and dental history experts all say the same thing. Washington’s teeth were not wooden. This is still one of the most common myths about America’s first president.

Why Do People Believe the Wooden Teeth Myth?

The story is easy to remember. It is short, strange, and clear.

For many years, children heard it in school. Cartoons and old history books also helped spread it.

Mount Vernon keeps one of Washington’s old sets of false teeth. It says the wooden teeth story is one of the biggest myths about him.

There is a good reason for the mix-up. John Greenwood, Washington’s dentist, used ivory in his false teeth. Over time, that ivory became very dark. It also gained lines and marks. To later viewers, it looked like wood.

In 1798, Greenwood wrote that one set was “very black.” He told Washington to clean it more often.

The myth also made Washington seem more plain and simple. Wooden teeth sound cheap and common. The real story is not so simple. His false teeth used rare ivory and some human teeth. Some of those teeth were bought from enslaved people.

What Were George Washington’s False Teeth Made Of?

Washington used more than one set of false teeth during his life. The materials changed from set to set.

One set from about 1790 to 1799 used:

• Hippo ivory
• Elephant ivory
• Human teeth
• Cow teeth
• Gold
• Lead
• Brass wire
• Steel springs

The springs pushed the top and bottom parts apart. Washington had to press his jaw shut to keep his mouth closed.

This helps explain his tight look in many portraits.

The false teeth were not easy to wear. They were heavy and stiff. They slipped out of place. They also made eating hard and changed the way he spoke.

George Washington’s Dental History: A Timeline

George Washington had tooth pain for most of his adult life. He lost teeth over many years. By the time he became president, he had only one real tooth left.

Year	What Happened
1732	Washington was born in Westmoreland County, Virginia.
1756	He had his first tooth pulled at age 24. His diary says he paid 5 shillings to “Doctor Watson.”
1760s–1770s	He kept losing teeth as an adult. His diary often mentions sore teeth and swollen gums.
Mid-1780s	He saw dentist Jean-Pierre Le Mayeur for tooth transplant work. His records also show payment to enslaved people for nine teeth.
1789	He became the first U.S. president on April 30. At that time, he had only one real tooth left.
1790s	John Greenwood became his main dentist. He made and fixed several sets of false teeth for Washington. Greenwood later removed Washington’s last real tooth and kept it.
1799	Washington died on December 14. He had lived for years with tooth pain and poor-fitting false teeth.

A Closer Look at Each Material

Washington’s false teeth used many materials. None of them were wood.

Hippo Ivory

Hippo ivory was often used as the main base.

It was hard and dense. A dentist could carve it into a plate shape. It also lasted better than many other materials.

Elephant Ivory

Some sets also used elephant ivory.

Like hippo ivory, it was costly. At the time, dentists saw ivory as better than wood or bone.

Human Teeth

Some human teeth were set into the ivory base.

This made the false teeth look more real. In the 1700s, dentists got human teeth in several ways. Some came from dead soldiers. Some came from graves. Some came from living people who sold teeth because they needed money.

Gold

Gold helped hold parts of the false teeth in place.

One set of Washington’s false teeth was stolen from a Smithsonian exhibit in 1976. The thief likely wanted the gold. That set was never found.

Steel Springs and Brass Wire

Steel springs and brass wire held the plates together.

The springs pushed his jaws open. Washington had to press his jaw shut to keep his mouth closed.

That made the false teeth hard to wear. It also helps explain his tight look in some portraits.

The Enslaved People’s Teeth: A Hard Part of the Story

Washington’s records show a payment in 1784 to enslaved people at Mount Vernon for nine teeth.

Historians agree that this payment happened. They do not know for sure if those exact teeth were used in his false teeth. Still, some of his false teeth did contain human teeth.

This part of the story matters.

Enslaved people had little real choice, even when money changed hands. Buying teeth from enslaved people was not rare at the time. But it shows a harsh truth behind the wooden teeth myth.

Washington’s dental story is not just a strange fact from history. It also connects to slavery, which shaped his wealth and life in Virginia.

Why Were Washington’s Teeth So Bad?

Washington had bad teeth for many reasons.

It was not because he ignored them. He lived in a time when dental care was harsh and limited.

Limited Dental Knowledge

In the 1700s, dentists did not have X-rays.

They did not have safe fillings like we use today. They also did not know that germs cause tooth decay.

When a tooth caused bad pain, the common fix was to pull it out.

Harsh Tooth Powder

Toothpaste was very rough in Washington’s time.

People used powders made from things like brick dust, charcoal, and tree bark. These powders could scrub teeth, but they also wore down enamel.

Enamel is the hard outer layer of a tooth. Once it wears away, teeth are easier to damage.

Mercury Medicine

Washington took calomel for some health problems.

Calomel was a common medicine in that era. It contained mercury chloride.

Some dental historians say this may have hurt his teeth over time. Others are not sure. So this point is still debated.

Diet and Family Traits

Bad teeth were common in colonial America. Rich people and poor people both had dental trouble.

Washington’s diet also played a role. He ate nuts and other hard foods that could crack teeth.

Family traits may have added to the problem too.

Washington did care about his teeth. His diary shows he saw dentists often. He also worried about how his false teeth looked until the end of his life.

How His False Teeth Changed His Face

Washington felt very uneasy about his false teeth.

His letters show that he asked John Greenwood to make sets that stayed hidden when his mouth was closed.

He wanted to look strong and healthy. This mattered to him as a man and as the leader of a new nation.

Even so, the false teeth changed his face.

They pushed his lips forward. They also made his cheeks look fuller.

Gilbert Stuart painted Washington’s famous 1796 Athenaeum portrait. This is the face now seen on the one-dollar bill.

At that time, Washington wore his last set of false teeth. Stuart is said to have placed cloth inside Washington’s mouth to fill out his cheeks.

Many people see Washington’s tight mouth in portraits and think he looks stern. Part of that look came from his false teeth.

The springs pushed his jaws open. He had to press his jaw shut to keep his mouth closed.

Where Are George Washington’s False Teeth Today?

The only full surviving set of Washington’s false teeth is at Mount Vernon.

It is one of the estate’s most popular displays. Visitors can see it in a round glass case from all sides.

Another set was once held at the National Museum of Dentistry in Baltimore.

One set was shown at the Smithsonian in 1976. It was stolen during a bicentennial exhibit and was never found.

Other partial sets also exist in smaller collections.

Washington’s last real tooth still survives too. John Greenwood pulled it and kept it as a keepsake.

Today, that tooth is held at the New York Academy of Medicine. It is set inside a gold locket.

Myth vs. Reality: George Washington’s Teeth

Here is the clear truth behind the common stories about Washington’s teeth.

The Myth	The Reality
Washington had wooden teeth.	His false teeth were made from ivory, human teeth, animal teeth, gold, lead, brass, and steel. They were never wood.
His false teeth looked real.	They were heavy and stiff. They also changed the shape of his face.
His stern look showed his true mood.	His tight mouth came in part from his false teeth. He had to press his jaw shut against the springs.
He lost his teeth because he ignored them.	He cared for his teeth by the standards of his time. Tooth loss was very common in the 1700s.
The wooden teeth story is just a fun fact.	The real story is deeper. It includes medicine, slavery, aging, pain, and the limits of science in the 1700s.

Common Questions About George Washington’s Teeth

Did George Washington have any real teeth when he became president?

Yes. He had one real tooth left.

Washington became president on April 30, 1789. By that time, he had only one natural tooth. His dentist, John Greenwood, later pulled that tooth and kept it in a locket.

What was the main material in George Washington’s false teeth?

The main base was hippo ivory.

His false teeth also used human teeth, cow teeth, elephant ivory, gold, lead, brass wire, and steel springs.

Why do people think George Washington had wooden teeth?

People likely believed this because old ivory can look like wood.

Ivory can stain, crack, and turn dark over time. It can also show lines that look like wood grain. Washington’s false teeth were not white or smooth like modern ones. Food, drink, and long use made them look darker. That helped the wooden teeth myth spread.

Who made George Washington’s false teeth?

John Greenwood made and fixed many of them.

Greenwood was a dentist in New York City. He worked on Washington’s false teeth many times in the 1790s.

Before that, French dentist Jean-Pierre Le Mayeur did tooth transplant work for Washington in the 1780s.

Were George Washington’s false teeth painful?

Yes. They were very hard to wear.

The steel springs pushed his jaws open. Washington had to press his jaw shut to keep his mouth closed.

The false teeth made eating hard. They changed his speech. They also caused sore spots. His letters show that he sent them back to Greenwood for fixes many times.

Did George Washington smile in portraits?

Rarely.

His bad teeth and painful false teeth made a natural smile hard. In his famous Athenaeum portrait, cloth was placed inside his cheeks to fill out his face. That portrait later became the main image used on the one-dollar bill.

Where can I see George Washington’s false teeth?

You can see the only full surviving set at Mount Vernon in Virginia.

One of Washington’s teeth is held at the New York Academy of Medicine. Another set was stolen from the Smithsonian in 1976 and was never found.