When Donald Trump joined Elon Musk for a live interview on X (formerly Twitter) late last year, the conversation covered a range of significant topics: his near-assassination, Biden’s withdrawal from the race, and the future of the presidency. However, for many viewers, an unexpected detail stole the spotlight: Trump’s slurred speech and lisp.
Was Trump wearing dentures? The public certainly seemed to think so. Throughout the interview, the word “dentures” was mentioned over 15,000 times on X and the interview sparked the resurgence of the hashtag #DenturedDonald.
Why does this matter? Trump is, after all, 78 years old, and a 2017 survey showed that nearly one in four Americans aged 75 and older have no teeth left at all. However, presidential dental health has long had an impact on public perception and leadership itself. From George Washington’s infamous dentures to Teddy Roosevelt’s toothy grin, a president’s teeth (or lack thereof) have often shaped the way they are seen by the American public.
