From emperors and musicians to superstitions, remedies, and unusual episodes—the history of dentistry as you've never been told it before.

At some point in his life, George Washington had to govern a country while suffering from continuous dental problems. His prostheses, far from being made of wood as is commonly believed, were crafted from materials such as ivory (from animals like hippopotamuses or walruses), metal pieces with springs, and other human teeth. His smile, now a historical symbol, concealed a rudimentary and uncomfortable solution, far removed from the image that has come down to us.

Did you know that some teeth have changed the course of history? That some famous figures hid curious dental peculiarities? That practices unthinkable today were common for centuries? Do you know the literary origin of the Tooth Fairy (Ratón Pérez), linked to the Spanish court? That there is a patron saint to whom people pray for dental pain? That Napoleon was born with natal teeth, or that dental gold became part of dark episodes of the 20th century? Or that there are stories of prison escapes using dental floss?

The history of dentistry is full of surprising episodes, unusual characters, and events that rarely appear in textbooks. In That Wasn't in My History of Dentistry Book, dentist and science communicator Yuri Castro brings together curious, strange, and little-known stories—ranging from popular beliefs and traditions to historical episodes, famous figures, forgotten practices, and situations as improbable as they are real.

A journey through cinema, literature, unusual remedies, superstitions, unexpected inventions, and the characters who found in teeth much more than a medical problem. A book to discover that behind something so everyday lies a history as fascinating as it is unknown.

Yuri Castro Rodríguez (Huaraz, Peru, 1990) is a dental surgeon, lecturer, and researcher. He was educated at the Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos and holds a Master's degree in Teaching and Research in Higher Education from the Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, as well as a PhD in Educational Sciences from the Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú. He is an associate researcher at the Universidad Científica del Sur, a member of the Research Group in Dental Sciences, and a postgraduate lecturer at the Universidad Nacional Santiago Antúnez de Mayolo (Huaraz). He has published several titles, including 20 Ideas to Foster University Research; Thesis Studies: Between Theses, Thesis Writers, and Thesis Advisors; and Clinical Considerations in Periodontal Surgical Treatment.