We see during the First World War a greater respect for the idea of oral health and the contributions of dentistry and how important both are for the preservation of overall health. This belt buckle was donated by Dr. Pasquale Duronio of Windsor, Ontario. Dentists first served the Canadian Forces during the Boer War. The name Royal Canadian Dental Corps was conferred in 1947. Introduced in 1887, Rubifoam toothpaste was named for its bright red colour. This card was soaked in E.W. Hoyt’s German cologne—an affordable alternative to the company’s early sample-bottle advertising. The Birth of the Royal Canadian Dental Corps The collection includes a belt buckle from the Royal Canadian Dental Corps, which was originally named the Canadian Army Dental Corps. “We see during the First World War a greater respect for the idea of oral health and the contributions of dentistry and how important both are for the preservation of overall health,” McGowan says. As World War I began, many recruits were rejected for dental issues and Canada’s participation in the Boer War exposed how poor dental health could undermine military readiness. The Canadian Dental Association (CDA) advised the government to establish a distinct, permanent dental branch, which led to the authorization of the Canadian Army Dental Corps in 1915. Also during WWI, Canadian soldiers suffered trench mouth, or acute necrotizing ulcerative gingivitis, a severe gum infection marked by painful ulcers, bleeding and a grayish film on the gums. Stress, poor hygiene and malnutrition in the trenches made soldiers especially vulnerable to the disease. The dental corps facilitated oral inspections for incoming and outgoing soldiers, offered emergency treatment for trench mouth and performed over 2 million dental procedures for Canadian and British troops during the war. 25 Issue 1 | 2026 |
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