All of the woman's teeth showed signs of rubbing, suggesting she had used an abrasive dental powder.
Writings from the ancient Greeks refer to dental concoctions made out of sea salt, ground oyster shells and other gritty materials that were flavored with refreshing herbs and oils, not unlike some modern toothpastes.
Minozzi asked her own dentist about the rub marks, and he said these are even common today, when people brush their teeth "too intensely."
Scott Swank, curator of the Dr. Samuel D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry, which is associated with the Smithsonian, told Discovery News that the museum's collection houses a detailed model of similar bridgework from Egypt. It dates to 2,500 B.C.
"It too consists of teeth that are held together with gold wires," Swank explained, but said it's possible the ancient Egyptians only wore such devices after death. Their spiritual beliefs held that the "body must be whole for the afterlife," teeth and all.
Swank also mentioned an early Etruscan piece of bridgework, dating to 1,000 B.C. It is similar to the Egyptian and Roman finds, except with thicker gold banding.
"The gold bands would have been very noticeable to onlookers," he said. "Royalty, rulers and other important people with access to a lot of cash probably would have worn these."
Shannon O'Dell, curator of the Sindecuse Museum of Dentistry at the University of Michigan, echoed that belief.
"All of these devices were more for looks than anything else," she told Discovery News. "You could not have bit down on any kind of hard food with them."
O'Dell added, "High-status individuals likely wore them for ceremonies to keep up appearances."
