(PRWEB UK) 1 November 2012
As part of a celebration of the ‘The Beatles Mania Week Celebrating 50 Years, 16 dental practices throughout the UK have ‘on loan’ part of John Lennon’s Tooth for a nationwide promotion of Oral Cancer.
John Lennon's tooth recently fetched £19,000 at auction and it was bought by Michael Zuk, author and dentist and obsessive collector of celebrity teeth.
The tooth had been in the family of Lennon's former housekeeper Dot Jarlett. Lennon gave it to her to dispose of sometime between 1964 and 1968, but then suggested she keep the tooth to give to her daughter who was a big Beatles fan, citing it may be worth something one day. She recently had to sell the tooth to pay for a family member’s operation.
Omega Auction House, which listed the item, told CNN that because it was coming from Jarlett, they don't doubt the tooth's authenticity. Part of the tooth has since been turned into a DNA necklace made by famous Beverley Hills jewellery designer Ari Soffer and it has been valued at $25,000.
Over the next few weeks the Tooth necklace is being passed around 16 dental practices to highlight National Mouth Cancer Month which will include free mouth screenings, promotions and fundraising events at each of the dental practices.
In 2010 a total of 1,985 deaths occurred from oral (mouth) cancer in the UK. And the real benefit from the ‘Beatles Mania Week’ is to make UK residents aware of the dangers they may face. The largest increases have been in people aged 50- 69 years.
Hull Dentist, Dr Chris Branfield (co-founder and trustee of the charity Dental Mavericks) was the first to borrow the ‘John Lennon DNA Tooth Necklace’ to highlight Mouth Cancer and used his promotional day to do free 10 minutes screenings and also teamed up with Lloyds the Chemist to offer free diabetes and blood pressure screenings.
Chris said, “The ‘Beatles Mania Week Celebrating 50 Year’s was to offer Hull people a chance to diagnose mouth cancer before it’s too late. People even got to wear John Lennon’s tooth around their neck and have a picture taken too.”
Michael Zuk, the ‘obsessed’ dentist that bought John Lennon’s tooth, (who incidentally also purchased one of Elvis Presley's crowns) said: “To celebrate the life of one of Rock & Roll’s greatest artists, I am pleased to announce we have teamed up on a unique DNA jewellery project with Los Angeles celebrity jewellery designer Ari Soffer who has made pieces for stars such as Tommy Lee, Axl Rose and Slash.
I recently discovered Ari’s work after my wife mentioned she'd kill for a diamond encrusted pendant that a Beverly Hills Housewife star was wearing.”
