Human mouths seem to require a lot of maintenance. Constant brushing, flossing, and the like are supposedly necessary to keep our teeth from decaying. So what did people do before modern dentistry? Today, we explore the fascinating reasons why our ancient ancestors often had lower rates of tooth decay than us. We briefly trace the history behind the human mouth’s fall from grace, and the ways people tried to get by with rotten teeth. We’ll then touch on George Washington’s horrible dentures and explain the value of fluoride.