Dental News - Toothy toys on display at National Museum of Dentistry

National Museum of Dentistry

Tue. 9 November 2010

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BALTIMORE, MD: Members of the public are invited to take a trip into the not-so-distant past to discover childhood toys with a toothy twist. “Open Wide! Toothy Toys that Made Us Smile” is on view at the National Museum of Dentistry. The exhibit features more than 50 objects, ranging from the original wind-up Yakity Yak chatterteeth created in 1949 to Cabbage Patch dolls with teeth from the 1980s.

From Play Doh’s Dr. Drill-n-Fill to Barbie Dentist to an Evel Kneivel battery-operated toothbrush complete with launching ramp, visitors to the museum can see games, dolls, puzzles and character toothbrushes.

The exhibit also features a playable Tooth Invaders video game from 1981 and a hands-on game corner where visitors can try their hand at classic dental themed games like Crocodile Dentist and Mr. Mouth.

“Times change, and toys reveal what was important to us during certain times in our history,” said National Museum of Dentistry Executive Director Jonathan Landers.

For example, Hopalong Cassidy cowboy toothbrushes were all the rage in the early1950s when Westerns were popular. Westinghouse made a build-your-own rocket toothbrush during the Space Race in the 1950s. Barbie found a career as a dentist in the 1990s.

“Many of these tooth-related toys are rare windows into our past, while others are still being played with by kids (and adults) today,” Landers said. “They all show the creative ways we’ve encouraged children to care for their teeth over the years.”

This special exhibit is drawn from the National Museum of Dentistry’s 40,000-object collection of dental treasures and the toy collection of guest curator Elaine M. Miginsky, DDS.

This exhibit, which will be on display through Jan. 30, 2011, is made possible in part by Webb Mason.

Museum Shop

Also at the National Museum of Dentistry, visitors can find ice cube trays shaped like dentures, frosting-flavored floss, and necklaces with silver tooth charms. From whimsical molar stools and children’s toys to professional gifts to honor friends and colleagues, the Museum Shop offers distinctive items for anyone with a taste for tooth-related trinkets.

This season, the Museum Shop features new gift items:

Hang on to your wine glass with whimsical pewter dental-themed glass charms. A set of six features dental floss, toothpaste, tooth, mirror and more ($21.95).
2GB tooth-shaped flash drive ($12.99).
Keep your drinks teeth-chattering cold with “frozen” denture ice molds ($8.95).
Solid sterling silver charms and necklaces, including a dental chair, sparkling tooth, winged tooth with a smile, floss, and toothbrush/paste ($10.95 - $17.95).
A dentist invented the golf tee. Tee off with “cavi-tees,” tooth-shaped gold tees that are a must for every “practicing” dental professional (20 2-inch tees for $4.99).
Russian wooden nesting dentist dolls in five pieces reveal the whole family ($35).
Have your pasta “al dente” with Keep Smiling all-natural, tooth-shaped pasta (6 ounces for $5.95).

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