The Emerging Smile

Abstract

Before the 18th century, dentistry as a profession and an art was practically non-existent. Oral health was largely disregarded by the general populace, who accepted tooth decay, loss, and pain as ordinary aspects of life. The social conventions of the time, driven by aristocratic norms, were to keep a tight-lipped manner in formal portraits. Consequently, artists used open-mouths as a signifier for their unsavory characters. However, the publication of Pierre Fauchard's groundbreaking book, Le Chirurgien-dentiste, marked the beginning of modern dentistry. The emergence of dentistry influenced a shift in societal attitudes towards oral health. This thesis explores how this shift transformed the open smile from a symbol of the unsavory to an emblems of respectability, reflecting the broader acceptance and desire for healthy, visible teeth among the enlightened public.