TIL MAY BANK HOLS

SINK YOUR TEETH INTO WELLCOME
COLLECTION'S NEW EXHIBITION
From vampires and tooth fairies to
barber-surgeons and professional
dentists, Wellcome Collection’s new
exhibition is the first to trace the
evolution of our relationship with our
teeth and the pursuit of a pain-free
mouth. ‘Teeth’ features over 150 objects
including paintings and caricatures,
ancient protective amulets, toothpaste
advertisements and a range of chairs,
drills and training tools, and examines
the tensions surrounding tooth-care,
whether for health, comfort or
confidence. It draws on the rich
collections assembled by Henry
Wellcome, alongside loans from key
Northern European collections including
the substantial holdings of the British
Dental Association in London.
Exploring the origins of dentistry, and
the emergence of the smile, the
exhibition showcases Pierre Fauchard’s
Le Chirugien-Dentiste (the Surgeon-
Dentist), 1728, the first scientific treatise
on teeth. It is displayed alongside
examples of early dental techniques,
tooth-pulling tools and dentures made
from hippopotamus ivory. In a 1799
etching, Francisco Goya captures a
woman stealing teeth from a hanged
man – human teeth could be sold on for
use in ‘sorcerers’ recipes or to the
denture and transplant trade.
As the only visible part of the human
skeleton, teeth are intrinsically linked to
identity, both individual and cultural. An
ancient Mayan tooth embellished with
jade and a set of contemporary grillz
reflect a desire for adornment, and a
1959 poem by Spike Milligan gently
mocks ‘English Teeth’. From the lengths
some will go to for a Hollywood smile,
to the providing of vital forensic clues in
the aftermath of warfare or natural
catastrophe, our teeth say a lot about
who we are.
'Teeth' runs until 16 September and is
curated by James Peto and Emily Scott-
Dearing.
Wellcome Collection’s new exhibition ‘Teeth’.
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