Many know that the growth rings of trees reveal volumes to a knowledgable observer, including much beyond a tree’s age. Droughts, fire, pest damage: they’re all in there to be read like a book. Turns out our teeth serve much the same function for we humans, providing insights into not only our individual health, but perhaps our society’s as well.
Joining Peter to discuss teeth and dental care in the US is Mary Otto, the oral health topic leader for the Association of Health Care Journalists. She began writing about oral health at the Washington Post, where she worked for eight years covering social issues, including health care and poverty. She is also the author of the new book, Teeth: The Story of Beauty, Inequality, and the Struggle for Oral Health in America.
