Toothpaste Art II

There are already records dating back as far as 5000 BC, which make mention of a powdered mixed of powdered ashes of ox hooves, myrrh, powdered and burnt eggshells and pumice to keep teeth clean.

The Greeks and Romans added crushed bones and oyster shells to it, making the powder more useful to scratch teeth clean. The Romans were also the ones who added flavorful substances to the powder for a fresher breath.

Around 1000 AD the Persians warned against the use of hard abrasives and the dangers of them which prompted a Persian musician and fashion designer to come up with a sort of toothpaste which was "functional and pleasant to taste". How it was used is not known, since no mention was made of any type of toothbrush, cloth, or twigs.

Even though some sort of toothpowder or paste was used to clean teeth, it became more popular in the 18th century when a so called dentifrice became available and was developed by doctors, dentists and chemists. It still didn't consist of the ingredients as we know them today, but it was used with a toothbrush or simply with the fingers.

Toothpaste became more common in the 19th Century when glycerin was added and in 1873 toothpaste was produced in mass for the first time. It came in a jar until 1892, when a Dr. Washington Sheffield of Connecticut came up with the tube as we know it. His company later became more known under the name Colgate.

It wasn't until after WWII when American soldiers brought home the European habit of brushing their teeth daily and was it was widely adopted by the American people.