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Spotlight on
“SeniorS”
A 40 year tradition of Personal, Affordable Care in an atmosphere of Comfort and Trust ANDREW P. GALANTE, DMD., M.A.G.D. 31-D Mountain Blvd. • Warren, NJ 07059 • 908-561-3939 • www.DrGalante.com In a nation of 215,000 dentists, Dr. Galante is one of only 1,717 who have received a mastership from the Academy of General Dentistry. That mastership is awarded after the taking of 3,000 hours of continuing education. A University of Pennsylvania graduate, Dr. Galante served his country as a dentist during the Vietnam Conflict. After being selected a clinical instructor at the College of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, he started his practice in Warren, NJ in 1974. $39.00 NEW PATIENT OFFER ($229 Value) One Hour Exam X-Rays • Oral Cancer Screen Our Services Include: • Tooth Whitening • Mercury Free Fillings • Implants • Porcelain Crowns and Bridges • Teeth Cleanings • Children’s Dentistry • Sleep Apnea Treatment (Snoring Prevention) • Tooth Grinding & Muscle Spasm Treatment • Relaxation Gas • All Preventative Treatments PARTICIPATES WITH MOST INSURANCE COMPANIES By now the story of George Washington’s wooden teeth is widely recognized as a myth, even though it still persists. Ivory and bone were common- ly used for dentures in the 18th century, and Washington’s false teeth would have been no exception. But where did the story come from? John L. Smith Jr. offers an explanation in the Journal of the American Revolution: Washington’s con- sumption of brown Madeira wine, which he loved, would have darkened the hairline cracks in bone or ivory, and over time the dark streaks could have resembled wood grain. Evidence for this theory even comes from Washington’s den- tist, Dr. John Greenwood, to whomWashington occasionally sent his dentures for repair. In a 1798 letter to the former presi- dent, Greenwood described the dentures he received as “very black, either by your soaking them in port wine or by your drinking it.” By scolding his patient, Greenwood did the reputation of dentists no favor, but he had reason to lay down the law. Options for tooth whitening at the time were few and mostly drastic - including filing down the teeth and applying corrosive nitric acid to bleach them. George Washington’s Teeth It seems appropriate after just celebrating Presidents’ Day that we talk a bit about our first and arguably our greatest Presi- dent’s teeth. George Washing- ton suffered from poor dentist health throughout his adult- hood; beginning in his twenties he experienced regular tooth- aches, decay and tooth loss. These problems were likely due to factors common during Washington’s era, including a poorly balanced diet, and dis- ease as well as genetics. As a result, he spent his life in fre- quent pain and employed a vari- ety of tooth cleanses, dental medicines and dentures. He could have used the whitening agents of today because the den- tures he wore were so discol- ored. Maybe if he drank Chablis instead of red wine his teeth wouldn’t have been so dark. RX: NEXT TIME, ORDER CHABLIS Submitted By: Dr. Andrew Galante www.theconnectionsnj.com