Since the second world war, daily dental habits have changed some, but not all that much. For a college student, one brushed one's teeth twice a day, before breakfast and before bed (Ashby). Dental floss was not particularly common at the time, although it did exist and was used by those who cared deeply about their teeth- a dentist, dentist’s family, et cetera. Mouthwash was not a standard, although it was not uncommon to use either Lavoris or Listerine. Dentine successfully plugged itself as the "when you can’t brush" alternative. Our teeth were a very important thing to us.

     Perhaps one reason they were so important was because they were constantly hurting. We visited the dentist about once a year, but there were not typically check-ups, we went when our teeth hurt- i.e. a cavity. There were things such as Dental Poultice, a medicated pad we put on our gums "For relief of soreness due to minor irritation of the teeth or gums" (From the box in Greenbelt Museum). Where as now we spend most of our time worrying about prevention (bi-annual cleanings, Tarter Control Crest), then the main problem, at least medically, was dealing with actual problems. Of course, the irony is that we worried about appearances and neglected out health when that "Just from the Dentist" feeling was rather painful.

     The dentist office was a place much different, and much less pleasant, than the one we know today. The dentist chair was upright, stiff and uncomfortable. The drills were powered by large, electric wheels with belts connecting them to the drill itself (A. Wardlaw). This lack of delicacy must have been very intimidating, but so must have the procedures themselves. Mrs. Ashby didn’t receive fillings during the second World War, a tooth with a problem was simply removed. Fillings did exist, however, and were almost a status symbol. Instead of enamel, gold was used- provided there were sufficient funds. Gold fillings were considered better because they were immune to deterioration, more malleable, as well as simply being gold. Black men would sometimes get gold on the front of their teeth simply for show (A. Wardlaw).

     Greenbelt's first dentist was Dr. W. McCarl, who arrived in 1938. (Williamson, 76) While Greenbelt had established its Greenbelt Health Association that same year, Dr. McCarl came as a private practitioner. He was chosen by the federal government in much the same way as the original residents were, and remained the only dentist in Greenbelt until about ten to twelve years ago. The McCarl dentist office is now on its third generation of DDSs (McCarl).

     The idea of hygiene as a whole during and after the depression was merely a leftover from the twenties, however its influence was still just as great (Hoy, 149). With most of the nation feeling poor, and wanting to feel rich, appearance counted as much as ever.

     This focus on appearance was a definite result of new tactics in advertising that had begun in the twenties. Pepsodent sold millions with its Irium, a mysterious detergent of supposedly amazing powers (Barnouw, 12). (Notice it is a detergent, not a preventative such as Tartar Control Crest.) Its success was actually so large, Amos ‘N’ Andy became a show known for it’s "‘clean,’ wholesome character" (Hoy, 148). One Listerine ad showed a mother telling her daughter that even the most beautiful girls could become unpopular, and that the solution was Listerine (Hoy, 144). (Also notice that Listerine is now an antiseptic.) A good toothpaste had brighteners, and a good mouthwash cured halitosis (Ashby), yet, ironically, smokers did remarkably little to cover their breath.

     Not only advertisers emphasized good looking teeth as a key to success. Sheboygan and Kholer schools put out a pamphlet for immigrants titled "Teeth Tell Tales," and it explain how well kept teeth were not only important for health reasons, but for "good looks and [tell] a story of …careful attention. Even though advertisers may have pushed the idea, it was widely accepted.

     There was much importance on brushing teeth. When asked how often did she brush her teeth, June Ashby promptly replied "Twice a day, like Momma always said." When you couldn’t brush, Dentine gum was a popular substitute. This idea was furthered in the fifties by Gleam toothpaste, for people who couldn’t brush after every meal. It’s possible that these "substitute" products actually increased emphasis on dental care- now those who originally did not take care of their teeth had an easier solution for normal life, and when the occasion arose that they did have the time went off to brush their teeth.

     Perhaps one of the things we take for granted the most is what we do to take care of our teeth. We brush twice a day, some of us use dental floss or mouthwash, and we visit a dentist twice a year for a cleaning. It is, in fact, that we think of this as almost natural that makes it important- after all, it is the things we take for granted that define our culture, not the rarities.

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