In the middle of the 20th century it became totally normal - at a 21st, a wedding or a confirmation - to give people the special present of the total removal of their teeth.

Was science to blame?

Will tells Rod the story!

The Wholesome Show is Dr Will Grant and Dr Rod Lamberts, proudly brought to you by The Australian National Centre for the Public Awareness of Science!

Sources:
- Brides.com: The 34 Must-Have Items to Add to Your Wedding Registry: https://www.brides.com/gallery/best-wedding-registry-items
- Dallas Museum of Art: THE BRIDAL REGISTRY https://collections.dma.org/essay/a8mBA7yW
- Dusty Old Thing: From the Fashion to the Gifts- Wedding Trends Over the Past Century Sure Have Changed! https://dustyoldthing.com/wedding-trends-changed/
- J Prosthet Dent. 2002 Jan;87(1):5-8. doi: 10.1067/mpr.2002.121203.
- Australian Dental Journal 2007;52:(2):154-156
- BMC Public Health volume 14, Article number: 65 (2014)
- MMWR: Ten Great Public Health Achievements -- United States, 1900-1999: https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00056796.htm
- British Dental Journal: Total tooth loss in the United Kingdom in 1998 and implications for the future https://www.nature.com/articles/4800840
Reddit: How true is this claim about Victorian England? “Having all your teeth removed was considered the perfect gift for a 21st birthday or a newly married bride.”
- https://www.reddit.com/r/history/comments/agyegl/how_true_is_this_claim_about_victorian_england/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf
- CDA Journal 28 (3): Focal Infection Theory Revisited

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