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Dental care: “And who invented it?”
Since time immemorial, people have been looking for ways and means to clean and care for their teeth in the best possible way. Dental care and oral hygiene were primarily for health or practical reasons, but in some cases also for religious reasons.
Our ancestors, the early humans, used small sticks and/or blades of grass to clean their teeth. This procedure left traces. For example, a type of tooth cleaning was evident in prehistoric bone finds from the Stone Age based on typical grooves. Researchers also found evidence and sophisticated recipes for tooth powder and paste for regular dental care in the so-called early advanced civilizations - around 4000 years before the beginning of our era.
Mesopotamia has a special place in human history - this also applies to the origins of tooth cleaning. The oldest toothpick found was part of a cosmetic set, comes from Mesopotamia and is dated to around 3.500 BC. In Egypt under the Pharaohs, however, it was common to rinse the mouth with baking soda in the morning. Chewing sticks were also used, which were coated with a paste made of ground pumice (a soft volcanic rock) and wine vinegar. One of the oldest surviving texts in human history, the papyrus rolls, also contains references to a special tooth powder made from the resin of the turpentine pistachio, earth color and parts of the semi-precious stone malachite. It was primarily intended to strengthen the teeth. However, the surviving text passages were still strongly influenced by magical ideas. The Babylonians, on the other hand, made a mixture of alum (a bitter clay salt), turű flavoring and mint for cleaning teeth. Mint is still one of the most popular flavorings for our toothpastes today.
In both ancient centers - Athens and Rome - small wood chips were used to clean teeth. But there were also toothpicks made of bone and metal. Above all, however, there were numerous "remedies" that were used. For example, a mixture of bone, horn or mussel shells. These substances were pulverized, then burned to ash and then mixed with natron and myrrh to improve the taste. It was also recommended to use ground salt to clean teeth. An approach that is still common in natural cosmetics today. Pumice stones and even marble dust, on the other hand, were used as a type of abrasive. They were broken down into powder and applied to damp linen cloths, which were then used to polish teeth.
India, as a land of spices, also used pastes with a spicy note for the corresponding mixtures for dental care. Early tooth powder recipes recommended a special mixture of alkaline ash, Bengal pepper and ginger. In addition to the distinctly exotic taste, these mixtures had a proven antibacterial effect. In one of the major religions, Hinduism, regular cleaning of the mouth - including the teeth - also has a spiritual significance. The human mouth is considered the gateway (entrance) to the body. For this reason, there were even special instructions in the Code of Manu with regard to cleaning teeth. For this, fibrous twigs coated with a paste of honey, ginger, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and sesame oil were to be used.
Our products for the dental care not too much – but completely natural and without plastic. Try it!
Our ancestors, the early humans, used small sticks and/or blades of grass to clean their teeth. This procedure left traces. For example, a type of tooth cleaning was evident in prehistoric bone finds from the Stone Age based on typical grooves. Researchers also found evidence and sophisticated recipes for tooth powder and paste for regular dental care in the so-called early advanced civilizations - around 4000 years before the beginning of our era.
Mesopotamia and Egypt: Cradle of dental care
Mesopotamia has a special place in human history - this also applies to the origins of tooth cleaning. The oldest toothpick found was part of a cosmetic set, comes from Mesopotamia and is dated to around 3.500 BC. In Egypt under the Pharaohs, however, it was common to rinse the mouth with baking soda in the morning. Chewing sticks were also used, which were coated with a paste made of ground pumice (a soft volcanic rock) and wine vinegar. One of the oldest surviving texts in human history, the papyrus rolls, also contains references to a special tooth powder made from the resin of the turpentine pistachio, earth color and parts of the semi-precious stone malachite. It was primarily intended to strengthen the teeth. However, the surviving text passages were still strongly influenced by magical ideas. The Babylonians, on the other hand, made a mixture of alum (a bitter clay salt), turű flavoring and mint for cleaning teeth. Mint is still one of the most popular flavorings for our toothpastes today.
From Antiquity
In both ancient centers - Athens and Rome - small wood chips were used to clean teeth. But there were also toothpicks made of bone and metal. Above all, however, there were numerous "remedies" that were used. For example, a mixture of bone, horn or mussel shells. These substances were pulverized, then burned to ash and then mixed with natron and myrrh to improve the taste. It was also recommended to use ground salt to clean teeth. An approach that is still common in natural cosmetics today. Pumice stones and even marble dust, on the other hand, were used as a type of abrasive. They were broken down into powder and applied to damp linen cloths, which were then used to polish teeth.
In India, exotic mixtures were used
India, as a land of spices, also used pastes with a spicy note for the corresponding mixtures for dental care. Early tooth powder recipes recommended a special mixture of alkaline ash, Bengal pepper and ginger. In addition to the distinctly exotic taste, these mixtures had a proven antibacterial effect. In one of the major religions, Hinduism, regular cleaning of the mouth - including the teeth - also has a spiritual significance. The human mouth is considered the gateway (entrance) to the body. For this reason, there were even special instructions in the Code of Manu with regard to cleaning teeth. For this, fibrous twigs coated with a paste of honey, ginger, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg and sesame oil were to be used.
Our products for the dental care not too much – but completely natural and without plastic. Try it!
