Soldiers False Teeth

[andrew pugh]

Good Evening All.

While reading through the appendixes of the war diary of the 24th Battalion Royal Fusiliers, I came across a page which basically said that if a soldiers dentures became cracked or damaged through neglect or other reason he could be punished by Court Marshalled.

Regards Andy

[ss002d6252]

It was difficult for the army to keep on top of so I can see why. 50 division had a dozen or so men stuck in a CCS for several months awaiting replacement dentures in 1915 (including a couple of officers).

Craig

[johnboy]

Are biscuits mentioned?

[Khaki]

Are we talking about army issue dentures or private purchase?

khaki

[Guest Debbie87]

This information is quite interesting. I didn’t know all this. My family dentist Torrance has various clients that are army soldiers. He must have knowledge about all this. I’ll definitely ask him!

[Muerrisch]

This from a Lt Col/ Acting Brigadier, 1918, who had his gnashers quickly sorted by a fang farrier.

June 20^th

My teeth are getting bad, must get a new set.

June 21^st

Went off to BOULOGNE - to get some teeth.

June 25^th

Got the teeth, pretty good & very comfy.

I hope they didn't bite a hole in his trousers.

Fangs aren't what they used to be.

Fangs for the memory

etc

[David Filsell]

I seem to recall that bad teeth was a sufficient reason to fail the medical for entry into the army.

[Muerrisch]

Yes, subject of jokes about "I don't have to bite the Hun to death, do I?!"

[nfh249]

Found amongst the discharge papers of Private 111056 Private Frank Ward, 21st Squadron MGC (Cavalry) (late Private 30701 East Riding Yeomanry)...

[John_Hartley]

I've come across several mentions of men being fitted with dentures, prior to postwar discharge. Presumably, there will have been an argument that poor army diet may have contributed, so the men were being sorted out before they returned to civilian life and had to pay for dental work.

Interesting that in the century since the document that NeilH produces, little has moved on. I've recently had a bottom set fitted and they have been awful. Been back to the dentist exactly as the advice above. Dentist has fiddled and faffed on several occasions and they're still unwearable - we've decided to give up on them and look to doing implants instead (apparently having them done in Hungary is about 25% of the cost of having them done in the UK)

[fv1620]

I seem to recall that bad teeth was a sufficient reason to fail the medical for entry into the army.

It was surprisingly low as the 32nd most common reason for rejection in 1912-13 at 2.1% of recruits.

In the period 1903-12 it was also 32nd at 5.5% of recruits.

[nfh249]

I seem to recall that bad teeth was a sufficient reason to fail the medical for entry into the army.