14 Common Misconceptions about American History

9. George Washington’s Teeth

We’re all raised with the belief that our nation’s most famous founding father, George Washington, actually had wooden teeth (hence the stern visage that graces the dollar bill). While it’s true that Washington began to lose his teeth at the age of 19 (dental hygiene wasn’t a big concern back then), he didn’t replace his chompers with mere whittled wood. His dentures were a mixture of gold, ivory, lead, human and animal teeth. Gross, right?