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· 06 Dec 2022

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The Incredible Ways Early Civilizations Cleaned Teeth And Treated Cavities

Brush twice a day, floss regularly, use fluoride toothpaste, limit sugar, drink plenty of water and see your dentist regularly...

... it's the pathway to perfect oral health in today's world.

So how did early civilizations keep their teeth clean? Was tooth decay a natural part of life?

Not at all. Most early civilizations took their oral health very seriously. They may not have had electric toothbrushes and dental clinics, but they had various innovative methods of caring for their pearly whites.

Here we'll look at the interesting ways our earliest civilizations kept their teeth clean and treated cavities.

Aztec

Oral health was a big deal for the Aztecs. They flossed and brushed just like we do, only they used very different materials.

The Aztecs used thorns and thin pieces of wood to remove food and tarter from between their teeth. Once the substances were removed, the Aztecs rubbed the teeth with a mixture of ash and white honey. The gentle abrasiveness of the ash cleaned the teeth while the honey polished them up nicely.

For the Aztecs, preventative dental care was a priority. They chewed hot chilli and created an unsweetened gum called chicle to prevent cavities and help with inflammation. If a cavity formed, the Aztecs would use a powder made of crushed snail shells to fill the hole. Sound painful? No doubt it was! They took the edge off by chewing tobacco.

Maya

The Mayans used different forms of toothpaste and toothbrushes extensively. Understanding the antibacterial qualities of neem and cinnamon, Mayans would fray the ends of these plants and use them as an all-in-one teeth-cleaning treatment.

Within their communities were ancient dentists who specialized in a range of dental procedures such as cavity filling, teeth removal, and tartar cleaning. Much like today, Mayan dental patients washed their mouths with a saline solution after dental treatments.

Mayans understood the importance of good oral health. They even had a name for every tooth! For the Mayans, cavities were an excuse to bedazzle their teeth. Mayans drilled precious gems into teeth for long-lasting cavity protection.

Ancient Egypt

The Ancient Egyptians had poor oral hygiene, and palaeontologists discovered a raft of dental issues in studied remains. Poor diet and lack of care resulted in cavities and severe tooth decay. Even the Pharaoh's teeth were in terrible condition!

The few Ancient Egyptians who wanted sparkling teeth used a mix of salt, pepper, mint and dried iris flowers to create a fine paste that cleaned teeth and freshened breath. They also experimented with different herbs to develop new toothpaste flavors. It turns out mint was as popular back then as it is today.

Ash was also a popular substance to remove tartar. The Ancient Egyptians burned ox hooves and eggshells to form an abrasive but very effective whitening treatment.

With no evidence of dentistry in Ancient Egyptian remains, the civilization was out of luck when it came to cavities.

Ancient China

People of Ancient China had advanced dentistry practices. Using acupuncture, tinctures and surgical procedures, the Chinese would effectively treat cavities and tooth decay. As early as 659 AD, Ancient China had developed a silver and mercury mixture to fill cavities.

As a daily preventative measure, the Ancient Chinese gargled warm salt water to cleanse their teeth - an early form of today's saline solution! The rinse's antibacterial qualities kept tartar from forming but wouldn't polish teeth. To do that, the Chinese would crush bones, twigs, flower petals and salt, mixing it with water to create a paste. This became one of the earliest versions of toothpaste.

During the Tang Dynasty, between 618 and 907 AD, it became common practice to soak willow twigs in water at night and chew them in the morning. When soaked, the willow fibres swell and protrude, forming bristles that could scrub teeth.

Ancient India

Ancient India pioneered the unique teeth-cleaning practice called 'oil pulling', which involved swirling oil around the mouth. The Ayurvedic method is believed to detoxify the entire mouth, removing bacteria, healing gums, freshening breath and whitening teeth. In traditional Ayurvedic medicine, oil pulling is also used to treat chronic health conditions such as asthma, hypertension, and eczema.

Much like other ancient civilizations, the Ancient Indians chewed sticks from the Salvadora Persica tree to remove build-up and buff teeth.

Ancient Indians believed cavities wereformed by 'tooth worms' burrowing beneath the enamel (a theory that wasn't disproven until after 1700!). While they had many measures to prevent cavities and relieve pain, there is little evidence that the Ancient Indians had cavity treatments.

Rome

The Ancient Romans had a nutrient-dense diet consisting of mostly fresh food, olive oil and very little sugar. This meant great teeth and few cavities! Cavities were more commonly a result of rough foods wearing down the tooth enamel. When a cavity was exposed, the Romans would extract the tooth with only wine for pain relief - ouch!

To get between teeth and give them a good scrub, the Ancient Romans used frayed sticks. However, they created a unique powder of ground pumice, egg shells, sea shells, ashes and even hooves. This combination was the Ancient Roman version of a toothbrush and toothpaste.  

The Ancient Romans even had their own version of mouthwash...but you'll need a strong stomach for this...theywashed their mouths with human and animal urine. The ammonia content in urine cleansed the mouth of bacteria. Let's be grateful that mouthwash has come a long way since Roman times!

Greece

Frayed sticks and crushed powder make an appearance again as we cover the teeth-cleaning methods of Ancient Greek. For the Greeks, a powder made from crushed bones and oyster shells was the dry 'toothpaste' of choice.

Aristotle and Hypocrites wrote about Ancient Greek dentistry practices, such as extracting decaying teeth and using wires to secure loose teeth. While pain relief was certainly not what it is today, the Ancient Greeks understood how quickly cavities could grow. Rather than impacting the tooth, they would extract it at the first sign of decay.

The mastic tree was the go-to teeth-cleaning tool for the Ancient Greeks. With the natural antiseptic qualities in the tree's resin, they regularly chewed barkfrom the mastic tree like a piece of gum.

We've come a long way since ancient times

Learning how ancient civilizations kept their oral health in check is enough to make us very grateful for today's teeth-cleaning and dentistry techniques. However, they had a solid understanding of oral hygiene and deserve acknowledgement for their innovations.

Image Sources

• https://erdental.co.nz/services/one-visit-crowns/
• https://www.paramountdentalsydney.com.au/old-fillings