Have you ever wondered where toothpaste was invented or how it’s made? Or how has toothpaste evolved since its introduction to the world? Well, this month at Blairmore Dental Centre we will be starting an invention blog series featuring some of the things we use to take care of our mouth! Let’s jump right into toothpaste.
Photo of toothpaste origin from Ancient Egypt
History of toothpaste (what we know)
Toothpaste in various forms dates back to 3000 BC where ancient Egyptians built a dental cream made of oxen hooves, myrrh, eggshells, pumice and water (sounds yummy right?). I bet you are thankful for the yummy flavors that exist today. Around the time of 500 BC, China and India were making toothpaste with updated ingredients such as; ginseng, herbal mints and salt. Ancient Romans’ and Greeks used some peculiar ingredients such as crushed bones, oyster shells, charcoal and tree bark. Toothpaste in this early adopted form was used to whiten teeth, freshen breath, and clean teeth. However it wasn’t until the 1800s that people began to use what we consider ‘modern toothpaste’.
Modern toothpaste development
1824 was a major year in the evolution of modern toothpaste. A dentist named Peabody was the first person to add soap to toothpaste, followed by John Harris in the 1850s who added chalk as an ingredient. Before the 1850s, toothpaste was a powder. Some versions of homemade toothpaste used ground charcoal, again in the powder form.
It wasn’t until 1873, that Colgate began mass production of toothpaste in jars. This then led to the introduction of tube style toothpaste in the 1890s. Soap was still a core component of toothpaste, however was eventually replaced after 1945 with other ingredients to make the paste smoother.
Major innovations within the evolution of toothpaste
With the continued advancement of dentistry and research in the 20th century, modern toothpaste was developed to help treat specific diseases and conditions such as tooth decay and sensitivity. Fluoride was first added to toothpaste in 1914, as a method to prevent decay. There was a realization that abrasive toothpaste ingredients could wear away and damage enamel and gum structures, so manufacturers began to create toothpastes with very low abrasiveness.
Today you will find most variations of toothpastes contain fluoride, coloring, flavoring, sweetener, and a variety of added components that make toothpaste smooth, foamy and to stay moist. Many elements within toothpastes found today help provide a technological advantage in advancing oral hygiene. It’s crazy to think that the origin components of toothpaste included ingredients such as hair, bone, shells and charcoal.
The future of toothpaste?
Today you will find over 1000 variations of toothpaste on the shelves. In terms of flavours, mint (and some variations such as spearmint) control the largest market share. However, you can get other flavours like peach, cinnamon, bubblegum etc. These products use sweeteners to make the product more palatable for customers. Many children require some variation in flavour until they grow accustomed to the flavour. However, at Blairmore Dental Centre, we discourage the use of children's flavoured toothpaste. The goal is to get children to spit out the paste, however often if it tastes great, they are more likely to swallow it.
Fun fact = there are some really ‘unique’ flavours available such as: Bacon, Pine, Cupcake, Licorice, Pickle, Coffee, Chocolate, Eggplant, Currey and Oreo.
Chocolate flavoured toothpaste example
There are also variations available for vegetarians, vegans and others with particular dietary habits. You will also find variations of toothpaste with whitening elements, and ingredients to help with sensitive teeth.
Fun fact = while there is a lot of innovation happening with how toothpaste is made, and the ingredients and associated variations, one of the biggest innovations to come is the tube itself. A scientist working with Colgate has developed a toothpaste container coating which ensures you get every last drop of toothpaste out of the tube. This is being born out of the fact that there is a lot of product wastage going on due to the limitations with the actual tubes themselves.
Image of new Colgate tube technology
Thanks for reading the blog this month, and we hope you enjoyed some history on the topic of toothpaste! We are happy to address any questions you might have, or if you are looking for a dentist, Dr. Hamilton and Dr. Shire are accepting new patients.
Please call 306-931-0000 to book your appointment.
PS: Check out the blog next month for another invention topic!
Blairmore Dental Centre.