I wanted to add this to the Elizibeth files but could not acces new tòpic although I tried everything.

I have to strees that I am not a Hypochondriac in any way (rather the reverse and hate when I have to take any sort of medicine) but health in general does fascinate me as well as my work (both aparrantely according to various astrologers are the two things I am obsessed by).

How many of you have had night mares about your teeth falling out?  I jave and so have a number of people I know.  Pyschologists say it comes from a sense of unconfidence but I am mre than willing to argue that point.  As a youg person I did not look after my teeth and as time went on they and the gums got really bad.  I visited a number of dentists in both England and Madrid who, I have to say, scared the shit out of me and usually I did not go back.

In Madrid I was recommended to a Norwegian dentist (who can treat people in 5 different languages) by two friend both called Ann. one American and one English but it took me 2 years to pluck up the courage to make and appointment and when I arrived, I was like a whirling dervish  more of less screaming that I was a coward, an hysteric and that my teeth were rotten.  The man smiled and said “Okay we'll look at them” – After the examination and Xrays he again smiled at me and very nicely said “Yes you are right, your teeth are rotten” and gave me an estimate for the work (a lot of money which I more or less expected and fortunately, at that time, i was in the position to pay).  I had been quite all and as the guy is also a doctor and maxiogfile, I also took my medical notes, so it was decided that to have an operation and do it all at once would not be a good idea and that the job would take at least a year with him dealing with two teeth at a time but always ensuring that I had “provisionals” in place.  This actually was a very wise decision because during jy first visits I would become completly hysterical, have attacks and he would spend up to 4 hours just on 2 teeth.  It also meant that his estimate actually fell because as he was dong the teeth two by two he realised that he didn't have to do all the root canal jobs he thought he would have to and he preferred working with a “live” tooth than a dead one.  To cut this lot short, now it is a pleasure to visit him – he is highly intelliigent with a great sense of humour and a brilliant pyschologist.  I now never have dreams of teeth falling out and have sent a number of friends his way.

So, back to Tudor teeth.  They did not look after theirs well at all as the wealthy ate a lot of sugar.  One method of cleaning teeth (and this is true) was to cut of the heads of mice, grind them down, cook them and then use the paste to clean the teeth (yuk!).  Twigs were also used to get food particles out.

Whether it was tooth decay I am not sure, but the fashion negan in Henry 8's time and grew even more in Elizabeth's time to blacken the teeth!!!!!  To cover the decay perhaps?

In C.J. Sansom's novel “Revalation” set in the time when H8 was about to marry Catherine Parr, one of the characters was a man who seemed to have lost his wits and had no teeth.  It turned out that he had been anaethitised by a substance called “dwale” and had all his good teeth taken out which were then put into wooden structures for the rich, without teeth to wear them.  I thought this was fascinating and of course checked it up on the internet and with my dentist who confirmed that this practise did take place.

I repeast that it is a known fact that motuh disease and other bodily problems are related so that could also have been the cause of many of the complaints thant H8 and co. had.