Historical oral hygiene

Historical oral hygiene has always reflected what a culture knew about the body, what materials were available, and what people could afford. Across thousands of years, humans have been remarkably inventive in the quest to keep teeth clean and breath tolerable, long before modern tubes of minty paste ever appeared.

From early powders to pastes

Ancient civilisations were already experimenting with abrasive tooth cleansers several millennia ago. Egyptians are described as mixing burnt animal bones, egg shells, pumice, and aromatic substances into coarse powders or creams that were likely moistened only right before use. Persians, Greeks, and Romans later layered on their own variations, adding ingredients such as burnt shells, powdered bones, charcoal, bark, herbs, and honey to scrub debris from teeth and mask odours. 

These early preparations were essentially tooth powders with very strong abrasives. They probably removed plaque and stains reasonably well, but at the cost of significant enamel wear and an experience that was anything but gentle. Over time, people experimented with taste and texture, slowly edging closer to something that resembled a paste.

Birth of commercial tooth powders

With the rise of physicians, dentists, and chemists in Europe, tooth powders began to be developed more systematically for sale rather than mixed at home. Common bases included brick dust, crushed china, cuttlefish, and later bicarbonate of soda. While more “professional” than folk mixtures, these powders still tended to be harsh. Glycerin and other humectants were eventually added to turn some powders into pastes that were easier to dispense and felt smoother in the mouth.

Flavour and foaming also entered the picture. Soaps and surfactants were introduced to give a cleaner mouthfeel and more appealing taste, helping toothpastes become everyday consumer products rather than niche medical preparations.

Fluoride and the modern toothpaste era

The early 20th century saw a turning point: the introduction of fluoride into dentifrices. Patents describing fluoride‑containing toothpastes appeared around 1914, and later clinical work in the mid‑20th century demonstrated that adding appropriate levels of fluoride could significantly reduce caries in children. This paved the way for mass‑market fluoridated toothpastes launched in the 1950s, supported by large research collaborations between universities and industry.

From that point on, toothpaste became a vehicle not only for cleaning but for delivering active agents. Synthetic surfactants such as sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) improved foaming and spread, while manufacturers began tuning abrasivity and flavour, and adding agents for stain control, sensitivity relief, and anti‑plaque claims.

Unfinished business: substantivity and safer actives

Despite the sophistication of modern formulations, the story is far from complete. A key challenge highlighted in scientific discussions is the poor intraoral substantivity of many active ingredients, especially fluoride—meaning they do not stay in effective contact with teeth and plaque for very long after brushing. At the same time, surfactants, strong flavours, and certain additives can raise questions about biocompatibility for some users.

This tension has opened the door again to alternative approaches: gentler abrasives, bioactive minerals, and renewed interest in tooth powders and traditional practices that seek to support the mouth’s ecology rather than overwhelm it. In a way, the field is circling back—trying to keep the useful lessons of history while correcting its excesses.

A note of gratitude

This article is inspired by, and deeply indebted to, the historical analysis presented by Frank Lippert, whose scholarly work on the evolution of toothpastes and tooth powders provides crucial context for understanding where modern oral hygiene products come from and where they may go next.