Before modern-day toothpaste was created, pharmacists mixed and sold tooth cream or powder. Early tooth powders were made from something abrasive, like talc or crushed seashells, mixed with essential oils, such as eucalyptus or camphor, thought to fight germs.
Often, they would use water and a rough cloth, scrubbing their teeth. Salt and charcoal were often rubbed across the teeth and then rinsed away. However, the most common way of taking care of teeth involved taking a birch twig and fraying the end, making a primitive brush. Dental powders were also used.
Researchers have long suspected that early humans wedged sticks into their teeth to clean them, Hardy said. Chimpanzees, which are connected to humans via a common ancestor, use sticks and pieces of grass to clean between their teeth.
Ancient toothpaste was made from varying ingredients, such as powdered eggshells, ashes from ox hooves, and pumice. Ancient Greek and Roman types of toothpaste were highly abrasive, made of crushed bones and oyster shells.
Fibrous Food
The ancient peoples' diet consisted a large part of fibrous foods. Fibrous foods are great for digestion, but also help to keep our teeth healthy and clean. They do this by aiding in flushing away food debris from the surface of the teeth.
Many Vikings used picks to clean the gaps between their teeth, and some historian believes they may have also used fibrous hazel twigs and similar tools as a kind of brush. The Viking skeletons discovered over the decades have usually had relatively strong teeth too.
The researchers concluded that the period saw wood and bone flints shift from use as simple toothpicks to primitive tools for excavating cavities, and that humans' first attempt at dentistry involved “scratching and levering activities,” not drilling practices.
On the other hand, the Greeks and Romans were more abrasive with their toothpaste ingredients. The Greeks used crushed bones and oyster shells to create a powder to clean their teeth. Later on, the Romans enhanced it and added some flavoring to help bad breath, along with powdered charcoal and bark.
Ancient Egypt
Their toothpaste consisted of rock salt, dried iris flowers, pepper and mint crushed into a fine paste with a bit of water. The mint and other herbs were incorporated to help improve their breath, and mint is still a popular toothpaste ingredient today.
Victorian Oral Hygiene & Dental Decay
Most people cleaned their teeth using water with twigs or rough cloths as toothbrushes. Some splurged on a “tooth-powder” if they could afford it. Sugar became more widely distributed, thus contributing to an increase in tooth decay during this time period.
Prolonged time without brushing your teeth can cause tooth decay and gum disease to become more advanced, which can lead to receding gums and even tooth loss. Additional issues, including a higher risk for the onset of Alzheimer's disease, can be linked to high levels of unchecked bacteria in the mouth.
One week without brushing:
As soon as a week goes by, your teeth' enamel will start to break down. The plaque that hasn't been removed will make it easy for bad breath to grow. A dirty tooth will make it hard to clean. You will have a greater chance of getting cavities if you don't brush your teeth for a week.
Our ancestors' diets consisted of all-natural, unprocessed foods like vegetables, fruits, wheat, and rice. These foods contained no chemicals or preservatives and were rich in the vitamins and nutrients that make teeth resistant to decay and other dental infections.
Our prehistoric ancestors had some of the same natural tooth protection we no longer have with today's modern diets. Another reason animals don't need the same oral care we do is because they have much shorter lives; chances are good their teeth will outlast the body's longevity.
As long ago as 3000 B.C., the ancient Egyptians constructed crude toothbrushes from twigs and leaves to clean their teeth. Similarly, other cultures such as the Greeks, Romans, Arabs and Indians also cleaned their teeth with twigs.
As you rub the salt across your teeth with your brush, it scrapes away surface stains and tartar. The problem is that this abrasive effect can be too strong. Tooth enamel is susceptible to damage if you aggressively rub salt across the surface. Enamel abrasion sets you up for future dental problems.
The traditional toothbrush or chewing stick is deeply rooted in Islamic culture due to its religious and spiritual impact. Pencil-sized sticks of various plants are chewed on one end until they become frayed into a brush. When used in this manner, they are commonly referred to as chewing sticks or miswak.
Some pastes were made from ground sage mixed with salt crystals. Others included powdered charcoal from rosemary stems or a crushed pepper, mint, and rock salt. Most pastes included both an abrasive and a scented herb or spice. Medieval people even had their own version of Scope!
The typical oral hygiene routine for a person in ancient China was to gargle salt water or tea. It became common in the Tang dynasty to soak a willow twig in water before bed and chew on it in the morning. The willow fibers would protrude like a comb and scrub the teeth clean.
When brushing, Victorians were advised to use castile soap, or a paste, powder, or liquid dentifrice. Dentifrices were widely available at local chemists' shops. Some were flavored or scented with essence of roses, mint, or vanilla.
Back in Bible times, they would use small objects like what Jesus is using to brush their teeth. Its hard to contemplate in our minds what they used but I'm sure they found like reeds etc to clean their teeth with. Love seeing the humanity of Jesus and how Hs relates to us in everyday life.
The Romans actually used a mixture of goat milk and stale urine to try to keep their teeth white. The urine's ammonia served as a bleaching agent. During the medieval times, it was thought that worms caused tooth decay.
Natural Toothcare. Native Americans cleaned their teeth by using chewsticks and chewing on fresh herbs to cleanse their teeth and gums. Chewsticks were twigs that had two uses: one end was frayed by a rock and used for brushing, while the other end was sharpened and used as a tooth pick.
Make it to 94 and you done good.
The funny thing is though, not all cavemen did suffer from tooth decay, unlike many of us today. Why not? Because they ate all natural foods. Fossil remains from the Stone Age have shown that teeth were generally well preserved as the result of a natural diet!