[Shannon]

Just wondering if anyone out there knows why peoples teeth didn't rot like all hell in ye-old times? I know not everyone had perfect pearly whites, but without tooth-brushes and toothpaste how did they keep them in their mouth?

[estranghero]

Seamen used vitamin C in fruits to avoid scurvy, is what I hear...


:cool:

[Qin]

Flouride oh flouride my lovely goddess you!

[Miriamele]

People's teeth did rot like all hell in the old days. But I think in some places primitive toothbrushes were used. I'm sure they had them in ancient Egypt because they were very hygenic people. And I remember in the movie Shakespeare in Love what's-her-face uses a dry toothbrush before she goes to bed that looks more like a small paintbrush. So, people did think of it sometimes.

[Ogg]

Bah! Rotten teeth were the norm not the exception! It you had pearly whites, you were some kind of muntant to be hunted down and killed! Rotten teeth and foul breath, it was a winning combination for my family ;)

Ogg

[Cadfael]

From evidence gathered from the mummy of the Pharaoh Rameses the Great... his teeth were so rotten he must have been in agony for the last few years of his life. If a man as powerful and as learned as him could not understand dental hygeine... what chance a humble slave.

Queen Elizabeth I... her teeth were black with desease, and again she must have been in great pain....

Where do get this idea they had perfect teeth?

I do know that tribesmen in Africa used (still do?) to chew a stick from a certain tree... and this helped them to keep healthy teeth.

[enazwo]

I heard they scraped their teeth with an ear spoon.

[Ogg]

Then polished their teeth with ear wax,... enazwo I believe that you are leading up to something here.... :rolleyes:

[Shef]

I said it before and I will say it again. Urine, the miracle waste. I mean sure it might not have helped their teeth. But when used as a mouth wash they at least had a mouth that smelled like pee even if they had no teeth. :D

[Carmichael]

Originally posted by Shef
I said it before and I will say it again. Urine, the miracle waste. I mean sure it might not have helped their teeth. But when used as a mouth wash they at least had a mouth that smelled like pee even if they had no teeth. :D

Bro', that's just wrong. . . .