Toothy trivia was: Re: NEW CANON- What['s Up with That?

[junediamanti]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "Shaun Hately" 
<drednort at a...> wrote:
> 
> One major difference in dentistry between the US and most other 
> Western countries - not just Britain, it's just that Britain is one 
> of the other countries Americans have most knowledge of - has been 
> that in most countries, purely cosmetic dentistry has been fairly 
> uncommon until recently. Children typically wore braces and the 
> like only if there was a medical reason to do so - if their teeth 
> were so out of alignment has to cause bite difficulties etc.
> 
> In the US, purely cosmetic dentistry for children - when braces and 
> plates have been used to correct minor aesthetic flaws - has been 
> reasonably common since the 1960s. In most other countries, it 
> didn't start to take off until the 1980s, or even the 1990s.
> 
> > I have no idea how rotten our teeth are in comparison to others. 
> > But, for the record, I have no fillings and straight teeth. I 
regret 
> > to report though, that they are yellower than I would like <g>.
> 
> Actually British teeth tend to be as healthy as anyone elses on 
> earth - the historical differences are basically cosmetic.
> 
> 
>

Teeth can be a much of a fashion thing as anything else historically, 
and I present for your delectation or otherwise, the trivial and 
nerdy fact that in pre-Petrine Russia (that's before Peter the Great 
and social reform) court ladies at the Tsar's court of the Muscovite 
state BLACKENED their teeth as a fashion statement.  I believe this 
was to indicate sufficient wealth to be able to afford luxury items 
that would blacken one's teeth.  

This fashion stopped with the reign of Peter the Great who wanted 
Russia to be more western in style and outlook.  Whether or not this 
had also to do with the monarch's cute interest in practical 
dentistry or not, is unknown. 

Russia had NO dentists.  Peter discovered the science when on an 
incognito grand tour of Europe.  He became his own court dentist and 
also became extremely competent at extracting bad teeth - with the 
point of his sword.  Makes the film "Marathon Man" look fluffy by 
comparison, doesn't it?

June