TIDBITS 09/26/04

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We encourage you to forward this email to friends and colleagues. ====================================== Teeth Lest there are thems amongst you who look upon the very idea of teeth as jewelry with disdain ... think of necklaces of shark teeth ... and pendants with bear teeth hanging dead center in order to ward off the many evils that pervade this planet ... or perhaps even that strange little extra-terrestrial who somehow got hold of a human molar and even as you read this wears it in his third ear as he struts with pride on the glistening surface of the 26th planet in the third galaxy.

Did you know that in 800 BC the Etruscans who dwelled in the land of Italy in what is now called Tuscany were considered the best dentists in the world. They carved full or partial dentures from ivory. Alas ... as modern medicine advanced ... technology regressed a tad ... for in the 1500's women of class kept their "uppers" in place by having their gums pierced with hooks in order to secure denture wires. Ye gads man ... things were getting out of hand back then.

The importance of wearing necklaces of teeth can not be overstated when considering their magical properties. We all know about the tooth fairy putting money under a child's pillow. But did you know it is considered an ill omen should a baby be born with teeth? Or if the first tooth to be exposed resides in the upper jaw the portend of death in childhood hangs heavily over the young tot. Dream of teeth falling out ... a relative is about to die. Eat some food while a funeral bell is tolling ... you will get a toothache.

So ... it occurs to me that at this point you can not wait to see just what sort of tooth-jewelry I'm going to show you. Alas ... it ain't to be. What I am going to show you is a sculpture in stone made in England around the 12th century. It is carving of a man who surely knew the agony of a toothache. It's a rather striking image ... and a little off-beat.

For those of you who are new to this thing called Tidbits...may I direct you to my home page at

where you will scroll down the left side menu till you get to the area that says Tidbits Graphics ... and then click on the link that says: Toothache ... where you'll see an image of a stone carving of a fellow truly suffering from not having flossed on a daily basis.

And there ya have it. That's it for this week folks. Catch you all next week. Benjamin Mark

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