Several months ago, we ran a post briefly discussing the history of compostable toothbrushes. The research that went into that post was fascinating. As a follow-up, we thought it might be fun to look at the history of toothpaste. It goes back farther than most people imagine.
We tend to think of toothpaste and toothpaste tablets as relatively new. But that could be largely the result of modern marketing. In reality, toothpaste goes back thousands of years – as far back as 5,000 BC according to some researchers.
The Earliest Toothpaste Formulas
Here at EcoFam, we are committed to using natural ingredients in our toothpaste tablets. We don't want any harmful chemicals in your mouth. It turns out that ancient civilizations made their toothpaste formulas using natural ingredients as well.
History tells of a formula out of Egypt made with mint, iris flowers, pepper, and rock salt. Imagine that! The mint and dried iris flowers make perfect sense to us. Even pepper works. But rock salt? That must have been pretty abrasive.
We also know of Chinese toothpaste formulas that included ground fish bones. The ancient Greeks and Romans also utilized crushed bones and oyster shells. All these ancient formulas had one thing in common: they were highly abrasive.
Not Good for the Teeth
Modern toothpaste and toothpaste tablets need to be somewhat abrasive in order to clean. But excess abrasiveness is not good for the teeth. It damages tooth enamel, which can ultimately lead to cavities and infections.
Fortunately, toothpaste formulas became less abrasive as time went on. By the 1700s, substances like crushed bones and rock salt were being replaced by burned bread, table salt, and tooth-cleaning powders. By the early 19th century, soap was introduced into toothpaste formulas for better cleaning.
What ultimately became modern toothpaste was launched in the 1870s by Colgate. Some 20 years later, the jars that toothpaste was packaged in were replaced by plastic tubes. That brings us to where we are today.
Naturally Clean Teeth Without the Tube
We still appreciate natural ingredients in the 21st century. In fact, that's why EcoFam relies on things like xylitol, sorbitol, calcium carbonate, and xanthan gum. And instead of fluoride, we rely on hydroxyapatite as an enamel builder.
What we don't do is package in tubes. Plastic tubes are for toothpaste. When they are empty, they are thrown in the trash and sent to the landfill. We think there is a better way, which is why we make toothpaste tablets packaged in reusable and recyclable jars.
You get all the same natural ingredients but in tablet form. What is more, because we utilize tablets, we can actually ship more product by volume than if we sold traditional toothpaste in tubes. So not only do we avoid the temptation of sending more plastic to the landfill, we also spend less money and burn less fuel shipping our products. What is not to love?
Clean Teeth Are Important
Historical evidence of toothpaste formulas going back thousands of years proves that even earlier civilizations understood the importance of clean teeth. Their ancient wisdom is something modern medical science has proved.
Keeping the teeth clean is essential to preventing tooth decay. We want to prevent tooth decay because it can lead to more serious health conditions down the road. So it turns out that regularly brushing your teeth is good for your overall health.
It is no longer 5,000 BC. Today's toothpaste is much better than what the ancients used. More importantly, toothpaste tablets are even better than toothpaste itself. Have you tried them yet?
