If there’s one thing that seems almost too ironic to be true, it’s this: cotton candy—that fluffy, sugary treat that sticks to your fingers and melts in your mouth—was invented by none other than a dentist! That’s right, the very profession dedicated to protecting your teeth from sugar is responsible for one of the world’s most iconic sugary snacks.

The Dentist Behind the Fluff: William Morrison

In the late 19th century, dentist William Morrison from Nashville, Tennessee, teamed up with confectioner John C. Wharton to create something magical. They combined their knowledge of sugar and machinery to invent a machine that could melt sugar and spin it into thin, delicate strands of sweet goodness. In 1897, they patented their invention, which was the precursor to the modern cotton candy machine.

Morrison’s clever device heated sugar until it liquefied and then spun it through tiny holes using centrifugal force, where the sugar strands would cool and solidify into what we now know as cotton candy. They originally called it "Fairy Floss", which, let’s be honest, sounds just as whimsical as the candy looks!

Where It Was First Sold: The 1904 World’s Fair

Cotton candy made its big debut at the 1904 St. Louis World’s Fair, a massive event that introduced the public to all sorts of wonders (including ice cream cones!). Morrison and Wharton set up shop and sold Fairy Floss to fairgoers, and it was an instant hit. People couldn’t get enough of the melt-in-your-mouth treat. Over the course of the fair, they sold a whopping 68,000 boxes of their sugary invention—each one costing just 25 cents, which was a small fortune back then!

From Fairy Floss to Cotton Candy

By the 1920s, Fairy Floss had spread across the country, becoming a staple at carnivals, circuses, and fairs. But over time, it got a bit of a name makeover. In 1921, another dentist (yes, another dentist!) named Joseph Lascaux improved upon the cotton candy machine and started calling it cotton candy, which is the name that stuck.