For thousands of years people have wanted a beautiful smile
as well as healthy teeth.
Explore cosmetic and medical dentistry, past and present...
is also an exhibition at Discovery Museum from 7th March to 20th April 2008.
Tooth Trivia
Tooth worm
Up until 1775 it was believed that a magical tooth worm was responsible for causing tooth ache.
Black teeth
In the 1800’s high class Chinese women would paint their teeth black as a sign of marital fidelity.
Tooth sale
In 1780 an advert offered two guineas for each tooth taken out, which is equivalent to £300 today.
Relax
The first reclining dental chair was invented by James Snell in 1831.
Girl power
In 1895 Lillian Lindsay became the first female dentist in Britain.
Blingin’
You can pay over £15,000 for custom made grills.
Ouch!
Japanese dental students now practise procedures on robots, which yelp if they hit a nerve.
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Medical Dentistry - Past and Present
People have always realised the importance of their teeth. Explore the medical aspects of dental care and see how it has changed over time.
Oral Hygiene
Keeping teeth clean and healthy has been important to people for thousands of years. The first British toothbrush was made in 1780. Those who could not afford to buy one used rags and twigs instead. To keep teeth clean and healthy in the past people have used:
Now brushing our teeth is part of our daily routine. There are a variety of toothbrushes available in the shops. Due to our increase in medical knowledge dental treatment has progressed. There are additional products such as mouthwashes and flossers used to support tooth brushing. There are so many dental products available now. It can be hard to choose what to buy.
Pain Relief
Pain relief has revolutionised dentistry. Before the 1800s, the lower classes, who could not afford dental treatment, would get their teeth removed by a barber or a blacksmith. Until the development of anaesthetics in the late 1800s, dental treatment was very painful. Today most people visit the dentist at least once a year to make sure their teeth are clean and healthy. Some people, though, are still afraid to visit the dentist.
Cosmetic Dentistry - Past and Present
People have altered their smile to improve their appearance throughout history. Here are some of the ways people have done this...
Whitening
Tooth whitening has been going on for centuries. In the 1800s some dentists sold their customers a special liquid which was painted onto their teeth to make them whiter.
Now tooth whitening kits use bleach to make teeth whiter.
Other oral hygiene products like toothpaste also contain whitening ingredients.
Straightening
Straight teeth are seen as a sign of a beautiful smile. The most common way to straighten our teeth is to wear a brace.
People have braces for practical and cosmetic reasons, to correct such problems as crooked teeth and overbites.
The effects of braces can be very noticable.
Braces as we now know them were developed in the late 1880s.
As a teenager today you are more likely to be given a brace than you were 25 years ago.
Tooth Replacement
Over time people have replaced missing teeth in different ways. This has been done to improve their appearance and for practical reasons such as chewing and speaking.
Even people who lived thousands of years ago used cosmetic dentistry. Over 2000 years ago in northern Italy, to maintain their smile people had teeth fixed in place of ones they had lost.
Two hundred years ago, the poor sold their teeth for high prices. The upper classes paid to have them transplanted into their mouths, to replace the teeth they had lost.
There are cartoons of the time that show this process of tooth transplantation.
To replace a missing tooth today we use dental implants. These are metal posts fixed into the jaw which allow artificial teeth to be secured in place.
If you lose all your teeth today you might be given a set of dentures.
In the past dentures were available to the wealthy but they were more ornamental than functional and could have been made from animal bone.
Accessories
Tooth accessorises such as tooth jewels and grills can be used to express your personality. This is not new. Over one thousand years ago South American tribes fixed jewels to their teeth. Decorating our teeth is still popular today, and tooth jewels come in a variety of designs and colours.
This section describes some of the objects in our exhibition.
Tooth casts, 1934
Olive Henderson had casts made of her teeth. They were used to examine her teeth and construct a brace when she was eight years old. The casts show the difference the brace made to her teeth. Before the brace her teeth were crooked and out of place. Afterwards her teeth were a lot straighter.
Tooth whitening kit, 2008
Included in the kit are two dental trays, three syringes holding whitening gel and a tooth colour chart for use at home. Whitening kits are becoming more popular as the media puts pressure on people to have a ‘Hollywood’ smile. By 2010, spending on whitening products in Britain is predicted to reach £69 million.
Arm and Hammer Extra Whitening Toothpaste, 2008
Baking soda is the active ingredient in this toothpaste. It removes the stains from your teeth and whitens them. Whitening products are now very popular because white teeth are thought to make a beautiful smile.
Brace, 2008
Braces are fixed to your teeth and are tightened over time. This gradually moves your teeth into the correct position. You can customise your braces with different colours of elastic. These go around the studs to hold the wire in place. Each year in Britain, 250,000 young people have braces fitted.
Vulcanised rubber dentures, early 1900s
These dentures are made from rubber. Modern dentures are made of plastic. They would have been used to help the owner eat and speak as well as giving them confidence in their appearance. In the early 1800s there was a trend among the upper classes to have dentures made with teeth taken from dead soldiers. Dentures could also have been made from porcelain or wood!
Tooth grills, 2008
Grills are associated with the culture of rap music and some people wear them as a fashion statement. The rappers Nelly and Kanye West have worn them. Nelly even released a single entitled ‘Grillz’.
Oral B Electric Toothbrush, 2008
The first electric toothbrushes went on sale in 1960. Since then they have continually been developed and improved as their popularity has increased.
This toothbrush uses a "high speed oscillating and rotating motion" to clean and polish your teeth. Electric toothbrushes are ideal for people who have problems with the physical work of brushing, for example those with arthritis.
Mouthwash, 2008
Listerine was first produced over a hundred years ago. Mouthwash remedies have been around for centuries. Other popular solutions have included donkey’s milk, honey and urine.
Oral B Humming Bird Power flosser and Pick, 2008
The name of this product comes from the tool’s unique shape. It resembles that of a humming bird. When used, it vibrates to enhance the cleaning process. This removes food particles and bacteria from between the teeth.
Bottle Rack, 1900s
This medicine bottle rack may have dispensed medicine for pain relief for dental patients.
Dental Forceps, about 1920
Forceps are used to remove people’s teeth. The dentist would grasp the tooth with the forceps and then firmly rock it back and forth. They would then rotate the tooth to loosen it before removal. The design is similar to forceps used today and in the past.
"What's behind a smile?" is an exhibition at
Discovery Museum
Blandford Square
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 4JA
from 7th March - 20th April 2008
Open
Monday - Saturday
10am - 5pm
Sunday
2pm - 5pm
Admission is free
What's behind a smile? is a website and exhibition that 11 students created as part of their Museum Studies Masters Degree Programme at Newcastle University.
Using Tyne and Wear Museums dental collections, the exhibition and website both explore the reasons for dental treatment in the past and now. Both demonstrate to visitors that for thousands of years people have used dental treatment to alter appearance as well as for medical reasons.
The exhibition team
Joe Bamborough
Rachel Carney
Lesley Denham
Laura Keating
Maria Kosmadoudi
Matthew Masterton
Jennie McEwan
Ilse Menkhorst
Janette Murphy
Myrofora Neoptolemou
Kathryn Wilson
Acknowledgements
The exhibition team would like to thank the following people for their help and support:
Sponsored by Nu-age Medical Spa. Hosted by Tyne and Wear Museums. Supported by Newcastle University.