George Washington's Favorite Snack Probably Didn't Help Out His Teeth

History

George Washington's Favorite Snack Probably Didn't Help Out His Teeth By David Stringer Sept. 28, 2025 1:00 pm EST

When you search YouTube for how to crack a Brazil nut, the top video shows someone cracking it open with a hammer. That gives you an idea of the strength of George Washington's jaw, considering he was said to crack open the nuts with his teeth. No, he didn't have wooden teeth; that's an age-old myth, but what his dentures were made of might surprise you. When Washington became president in 1789, he had one real tooth left, and the rest were dentures made of cow's teeth. Washington later got a new set of teeth made from hippopotamus tusks. Now, those could probably do some cracking.

Washington's teeth weren't the only thing he had to worry about with Brazil