A Refreshing Blast to the Past, the Dental Way

Hello all!

Today's discussion is one I hope you all enjoy, because I know I am going to. As we talk about the way our teeth and environment have evolved together and independently of one another, I feel it is inevitable to discuss how the treatment of human dentition has evolved as well. From the usage of plants to toothbrushes to toothpaste to minty gum and breath-mints to floss and tongue cleaners, the condition and well-being of our teeth have been directly impacted as well. 

The process in which organisms started taking care of their teeth is an astonishing one. We know animals like elephants and monkeys utilize bamboo shoots and other plants for maintenence, but what about humans? Oral Wellness claims all cultures have used plant-based dental care at some point--"our ancestors picked their teeth as far back as 1.8 million years ago, the earliest records we have found of humans caring for their oral health comes out of ancient Asia and Africa. For example, the Chinese recorded the benefits of using clove for oral health thousands of years ago. The people of India have been using stems from the neem tree as a toothpick for thousands of years as well. Tribes in Africa have been chewing on sticks from specific trees known to support oral health for as far back as they know".

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Above: Chew Stick. 

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Above: History Of Toothbrushes - Types of Oldage Toothbrushes

But, according to the Library of Congress, China invented a bristle brush in 1498, and the Americas experienced the first modern day toothbrush in 1938. SO, toothbrushes are a relatively recent invention. 

Yet toothpaste, didn't follow too far behind cultures using toothbrushes. 

Below, is the History of Toothpaste:

Back in the Days of Buddha.... 

The activity of keeping the mouth clean dates all the way back to the religious figure Buddha. It has been recorded that he would use a "tooth stick" from the God Sakka as part of his personal hygiene regimen. 

In 23 - 79 AD the practice of oral hygiene included:

• Drinking goats milk for sweet breath
• Ashes from burnt mice heads, rabbits heads, wolves heads, ox heels and goats feet were thought to benefit the gums. 
• Picking the bones out of wolves excrement and wearing them was considered to be a form of protection against toothaches.
• Washing your teeth with the blood from a tortoise three times a year was a sure bet against toothaches as well.
• Mouthwashes were known to consist of pure white wine, or old urine kept especially for this purpose.

The 18th Century 

The earliest record of an actual toothpaste was in 1780 and included scrubbing the teeth with a formula containing burnt bread. 

Other toothpastes around this time called for:

• 1 1/2 oz. dragons blood 
• 1 1/2 oz. cinnamon
• 1 oz. burnt alum

The 19th Century

• In the 19th century, charcoal became very popular for teeth cleaning purposes.
• Most toothpastes at this time were in the form of a powder.
• The purpose of the tooth powder was not only to clean the teeth, but to give fresh breath.
• Strawberries were considered to be a "natural" solution for preventing tartar and giving fresh breath.
• In 1855, the Farmers Almanac included this recipe for an appropriate toothpaste:
  1 oz. myrrh (fine powder)
  2 spoonfuls of your best honey
  A pinch of green sage
  
• Another toothpaste included:
  2 oz. cuttlefish bone
  1 oz. cream of tartar
  2 drachms drop lake
  15 drops clover oil

The 20th Century

• Liquid cleansers (mouth rinses) and pastes became more popular, often containing chlorophyll to give a fresh green color.
• Bleeding gums became a concern as well as aching teeth.
• In 1915 leaves from certain trees in South East Asia (Eucalyptus) were beginning to be used in mouthwash formulas.

1990s

• sodium monofluorophosphate
• color
• flavoring
• fluoride
• foaming agents
• detergents
• humectants (prevent the paste from hardening)
• Herbal toothpastes have gained popularity for people looking for a "natural" toothpaste or for those who don't want fluoride in their dental cleansers. Some herbal toothpastes contain:
  peppermint oil
  myrrh
  plant extract (strawberry extract)
  special oils and cleansing agents
  

^Similar ingredients to earlier toothpastes*

The ancient Egyptian recipe for toothpaste

The world's oldest-known formula for toothpaste, has been discovered on a piece of dusty papyrus in the basement of a Viennese museum.In faded black ink made of soot and gum Arabic mixed with water, an ancient Egyptian scribe has carefully described what he calls a "powder for white and perfect teeth".

When mixed with saliva in the mouth, it forms a "clean tooth paste".

According to the document, written in the fourth century AD, the ingredients needed for the perfect smile are one drachma of rock salt - a measure equal to one hundredth of an ounce - two drachmas of mint, one drachma of dried iris flower and 20 grains of pepper, all of them crushed and mixed together.

The result is a pungent paste which one Austrian dentist who tried it said made his gums bleed but was a "big improvement" on some toothpaste formulas used as recently as a century ago.

There is great debate as to how toothpastes should be (as with most things) as natural as possible. General rule of thumb: if you wouldn't swallow your toothpaste, you probably shouldn't be brushing with it, as chemicals ingested through the oral cavity are more likely to enter the blood stream than chemicals obtained through other means. I'd like to sound like a hypocrite and say I'm a faithful Colgate customer, however after my research I am more concerned. Read the chemicals listed on your toothpaste (you can do it, you have a free 2- 2 1/2 minutes every time you brush your teeth). Teeth-whitening brands often contain baking soda, and even hydrogen peroxide! Hydrogen peroxide? Definitely should NOT be ingested in any way. Be cautious, and hopefully in another post I can provide alternative suggestions on better more natural toothpastes to use. 

Dental Floss:
Dental floss is another relatively new oral health care tool introduced as early as 1815 by a New Orleans dentist who used a silk thread between teeth. 

In the early 1880s, J&J took the idea and mass-marketed it across the United States. It wasn't until the 1940s that nylon replaced silk. Waxed floss and dental tape followed about a decade later. 

After this fun blog post, I'd like to dive back into dental pathology. If you have any requests, please let me know! I have a great interest in pediatric dentistry, but will be more than willing to cover other subfields as well. 

Until next time,

See you soon Baboon

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