George Wooden Dentures Parts Washington's True United People

There are many "pervasive" (known by many people) "myths" (things that are generally believed to be true by most people, but actually are not true) about America's "founding fathers" (the men who helped create the United States' Constitution) and important political leaders. Some of those myths relate to the individuals' physical appearance.

For example, the first president of the United States, George Washington, "is said to" (people say that something is true) have used wooden "dentures" (artificial teeth, used to chew food and improve one's appearance when one's own teeth are not present). In fact, "historians" (people who study the past) believe that George Washington "indeed" (in truth; in reality) wore dentures, but they were not wooden. They believe he had many "dental" (related to teeth) problems and had several sets of dentures made from "ivory" (a white, rock-like substance found in elephants' "tusks" (body parts like horns)), gold, and lead.

Apparently George Washington's teeth became "stained" (with marks that cannot be removed) and "discolored" (with a changed, dirty color) over time due to the wine he drank and a lack of cleaning, and they may have seemed to be wooden. But why does the myth of the wooden dentures "persist" (continue to exist)? Some people believe it is because they "point to" (emphasize) the first president's "frailty" (ability to be hurt or injured) and human nature. And others believe that the myth persists because it reminds people that George Washington "sacrificed" (gave up) his health in some ways in order to serve the new country.