George Washington’s Teeth

A Powdered Wig and Bad Teeth!

The other day, Mrs. Schneider asked me why I didn’t tell you what we learned about George Washington’s teeth. Well, to be honest, I didn’t think that him loosing all of his teeth by the time he was president was such a big deal. I don’t have teeth and I get along just fine. But since she asked me to tell you, here is the whole tooth, I mean truth.

George always had really bad teeth and he kept losing them throughout the time he was a soldier and elected president. When he was having his official picture painted, he only had two teeth left. His mouth must have looked funny so the artist put cotton in George’s mouth to make his lips puff out. When they took the cotton out, you guessed it! Out came another tooth. I guess that’s why you don’t see him smiling in his pictures. It would be difficult to get serious about a president smiling with only one tooth in his mouth.

Some people believe he had wooden teeth but that is not true. He had false teeth carved from a strong hippo tusk, and they were screwed in with screws of gold!! Can you believe that!

Just in case you were going to ask about George cutting down his dad’s cherry tree that is also not true, but I’m sure he was a very honest man anyway!

By the way boys and girls you are going to be learning about keeping your teeth healthy, and Mrs. Shickle told me you will get to make a really cool tooth project. Do you think she could make me some teeth?

Love,
Poly #9

This is a great book!

If you are wondering how Mrs. Shickle learned so much about George’s teeth, she found a really cool book called George Washington’s Teeth, by Deborah Chandra & Madeleine Comora. I wish I could read, because there is so much to learn. I guess I just have to stay in school and be a good listener!

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Tags: Polly 9