What was hygiene like in the Middle Ages?

We all know the Middle Ages weren't an enviable time to be alive, but do you really know what people's daily lives were like? When it came to staying fresh, their secrets might be best left in the dark. read more

Not surprisingly, tooth decay was actually much less prevalent in the Middle Ages than it became in later centuries, when mass imports of sugar from the tropics made it a staple rather than a rarity. 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. read more

Middle Ages Hygiene - Personal Hygiene During the Middle Ages the crusaders brought soap back from the far East to Europe. People generally washed in cold water unless they were wealthy when hot water would be provided for bathing purposes. read more

is correct. People in the Middle Age was not more dirty than people in the early modern era. No neither did they have bad teeth. Caries became a problem first with the introduction of suger. BUT: There was problem with hygiene. The problem was a problem with urban life. read more