Cosmetic dentistry has become incredibly popular in the past few decades, and you have probably seen many movie stars and media personalities who have received aesthetic oral treatments without even noticing. However, the ways people have used to achieve prettier smiles have not always been as safe, effective, and sanitary as they are today. Here’s a brief guide to a few ancient cosmetic dental methods to help you appreciate how wonderfully pleasant and comfortable modern treatments are.
Primitive Teeth Whitening Could Be Rather Unpleasant
Many cultures throughout history have seen white teeth as signs of health, wealth, beauty, and status, and people have used a wide range of methods to achieve brighter grins. For example, the ancient Egyptians would whiten their teeth using a special poultice of charcoal and plant matter, and pre-Roman European tribes would chew on twigs to clean the yellowish plaque from their teeth.
However, the most disgusting teeth whitening method in history may have been practiced by the ancient Romans. The citizens of Rome found that they could cheaply and effectively lift dental stains by rinsing their mouths with their own urine. While the ammonia this bodily fluid contains can break down the discoloration on one’s teeth, this treatment was absolutely terrible for everyone’s breath.
Medieval Teeth Whitening Was Downright Violent
If you wanted to brighten your grin in the Middle Ages, you’d go see your barber for a teeth whitening procedure. This “treatment” involved using a file or rasp to roughly remove a few layers of enamel from the treated teeth before applying a few coats of nitric acid to bleach out discoloration. While this could give a person a whiter smile, it did so by destroying healthy dental structure and making oral infections and injury more likely.
Don’t Let Fashion Trends Compromise Your Oral Health
Sometimes beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and you may not find a better example of this than among the nobility of Victorian England. Queen Victoria, known for her love of sweets, had visible tooth decay, and this look unfortunately caught on with the upper classes of London. To emulate her appearance, many dukes, earls, and duchesses began brushing their teeth with honey, causing them to develop many fashionable cavities that would certainly lead to tooth loss and severe oral pain down the line.
Luckily, modern cosmetic dental procedures are only minimally invasive if at all, administered in sanitary ways that ensure the patient’s comfort and safety, and require the use of absolutely no urine. Consulting with your dentist can help you find out if any of these treatments can be a good fit for you.
About the Author
Dr. Beverly Rose earned her dental doctorate at the University of Florida College of Dentistry and regularly refines her skills through continuing education coursework. She is a proud member of the American Dental Association and the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. Her office in Melbourne offers general, restorative, emergency, and cosmetic dentistry. To schedule your cosmetic dental consultation, contact her office online or dial (321) 259-4666.