Outdated hygiene practices that are far from clean

Soldiers’ Teeth Were Used to Make Dentures

In the 19th century, dentures made from real human teeth were considered the ultimate way to replace lost teeth — especially among the wealthy. After battles like the Battle of Waterloo, scavengers collected the teeth of dead soldiers to resell to dentists. These grim relics were known as “Waterloo teeth.”

Today, the idea of using a dead soldier’s tooth seems frightening, but at the time, it was simply business. For the fortunate, having a mouth full of someone else’s teeth was better than having nothing at all.