Why Historically People Thought Your Teeth Could Explode
From History of Everything by Stakuyi
January 26, 2026 · 1h 11m
About this episode
This episode explores a bizarre dental condition documented in the 19th century involving exploding teeth.
In the 19th Century, a Pennsylvania dentist called WH Atkinson came across a condition that sounds like the stuff of nightmares. Writing in The Dental Cosmos, the first major journal for American dentists, Atkinson documented an outbreak of exploding teeth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Topics covered
- dentistry
- 19th century
- medical history
- tooth health
- mythology
- exploding teeth
Keywords
- exploding teeth
- dentistry
- WH Atkinson
- 19th century
- Dental Cosmos
- tooth health
- medical history
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: The Dental Cosmos
Places: Pennsylvania
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