History of Ancient Oral Care

It may surprise some people to learn that ancient civilizations did not all have atrocious dental hygiene. In fact, some ancient civilizations arguably had better dental hygiene than humans today. I know… sounds impossible but it’s really not. The history of ancient oral care has helped us develop The Dirt Personal Care products. Here's why:

Medieval peoples are often depicted with disgusting, rotting teeth. Especially the poor. However, most medieval peoples’ teeth were rather healthy. This is mostly due to the fact that sugar was not an integral part of the medieval diet. Sugar was a luxury and so, only the rich could afford to regularly integrate sugar into their diet. Nowadays, sugar is a common household ingredient and our dental hygiene is suffering because of it.

In addition to consuming less sugar than humans do now, medieval peoples also had some dental hygiene practices that worked considerably well. Although they rubbed their teeth and gums with a rough linen cloth, they did use pastes and powders the way we use toothpaste now. Their recipes consisted of natural ingredients such as sage, rosemary, pepper, mint, cinnamon, cloves and rock salt. 

Do some of those herbal and spice choices sound familiar? It’s no coincidence, The Dirt uses a lot of the same natural ingredients in our Trace Mineral Tooth Brushing Powder and Coconut Oil Toothpaste that were popular in medieval dental hygiene remedies. The power of natural ingredients has truly stood the test of time and The Dirt has revolutionized the flavor options! 

We now use an Eco Friendly Bamboo Toothbrush that is fully compostable compared to a plastic toothbrush to brush our teeth. But long before medieval times, many ancient Chinese remedies prove that other natural forms of dental hygiene were also rather effective. For example, ancient Chinese peoples used willow twigs like toothbrushes. They were soaked in water and chewed. 

Similarly, ancient Indian dental hygiene practices utilized twigs from specific plants and trees as toothbrushes. The particular twigs used have medicinal properties, so they were used without powders or pastes. Ancient Indian practices also included the use of tongue scrapers to remove bacteria from their mouth! This process has many benefits for overall health and The Dirt has just what you need. Unlike plastic tongue scrapers, Our Antimicrobial Copper Tongue Scraper will last a lifetime and its natural antibacterial qualities keep it sanitized without chemicals. Just rinse, tap it dry, and store in a dry place! 

It’s rather impressive to consider the methods ancient and medieval peoples were using, but I know I’m not the only one who is ridiculously grateful to have access to modern day dental hygiene. Even more so, grateful to have access to all natural, health conscious ingredients to develop products that truly enhance your well being!

Use code: theboss for 15% off your natural oral care purchase!