Did people in the medieval times brush their teeth?

How did medieval people brush their teeth? They would rub their teeth and gums with a rough linen. Recipes have been discovered for pastes and powders they might have applied to the cloth to clean and whiten teeth, as well as to freshen breath. read more

But Medieval people cleaned their teeth, mainly with toothpicks and with pieces of cloth. Wealthiest people would use a mix of vinegar and salt with those pieces of cloth or with dried moss to make them more effective. They took care because the ideal of beauty was white teeth and mouth infections were very painful. read more

Surveys of archaeological data from the medieval period show that an average of only 20% of teeth show any sign of decay, as opposed to up to 90% in some early twentieth century populations. A more common dental issue for medieval people was not decay but wear. read more

Bearing in mind that people in the middle ages and Renaissance seldom if ever drank plain cold water, a quick morning rinse might well remove some of the tartar and bacteria that attack the teeth. Holding cold water in the mouth for a few minutes, swishing it around and spitting it out, certainly leaves the mouth feeling cleaner, especially when done first thing upon awakening. read more

But Medieval people cleaned their teeth, mainly with toothpicks and with pieces of cloth. Wealthiest people would use a mix of vinegar and salt with those pieces of cloth or with dried moss to make them more effective. read more

Medieval people cleaned their teeth by rubbing them and their gums with rough linen cloths. We have various recipes for pastes and powders that could be put on the cloth to help clean the teeth, to whiten them, and to aid fresh breath. Sage ground with salt crystals was one popular mixture. Powdered charcoal from rosemary stems was another. read more