History of Teeth Whitening
Over-the-counter teeth-whitening products line the shelves of supermarkets and grocery stores. Sparkling white teeth are highly sought-after by the masses today; what you may not know is that humans have been searching for ways to whiten their teeth for thousands of years!
Something about a bright white smile makes one feel young and confident. This is no new development. Since ancient times, a white smile has been a symbol of beauty and affluence. But how did people go about it before modern dentistry offered whitening gels and bleaching trays?
From Pharaohs to Barbers: Ancient Teeth Whitening
Like many dental techniques; attempts at teeth whitening began in ancient Egypt around 3000 B.C. White teeth in those days were rare – a sign of vitality and wealth. So, of course, the Pharaohs and their followers were anxious to find a way to cosmetically whiten teeth. Their solution would be the very first toothpaste, a concoction of pumice stone, wine vinegar, and ground oxen hooves that was applied using a primitive form of toothbrush called a chew stick.
Another ancient society that was known for its dental developments was that of ancient Rome. During the first century, Romans used wooden chew sticks to brush their teeth with human urine. While it may sound revolting, the idea was not completely ridiculous. The urine contained ammonia, which did in fact clean and whiten teeth.
Hundreds of years later, in 17th-century Europe, it was common practice for the local barber to provide dental services to his customers. The whitening formula of choice was a two-step process that required the barber to file the patient’s teeth before applying a corrosive acid. Needless to say, this treatment was none too healthy for the tooth enamel, but it did leave the teeth sparkling white. Patients were probably not so happy with their whitened teeth a few years later, when their teeth were lost due to advanced decay!
Evolution of Modern Teeth Whitening
In the late 1800s, dentists discovered that chlorine could be used as a bleaching agent to whiten teeth. This method was used throughout Europe and the United States for over one hundred years.
Hydrogen peroxide was not used as a teeth-whitening agent until the early 1900s when dentists began using it to bleach non-vital or “dead” teeth. The solution was also used for gum treatment during this time period, but it wasn’t until the 1940’s that peroxide bleaching was applied to vital teeth.
The idea of using bleaching trays for at-home teeth whitening was stumbled upon quite by accident in the 1960s by dentist William Klusimer. When Klusimer sent a patient home with a mouth tray and a peroxide solution intended to treat the gums, the patient returned with whiter teeth. Klusimer then developed various whitening techniques using bleaching trays and peroxide throughout the 1970s. The method became more widely accepted in 1989 when a more successful mixture of carbamide peroxide was created.
Since then, hundreds of teeth-whitening products have been developed, from chair-side formulas and custom home whitening trays to over-the-counter whitening strips. If you’re searching for the best method of teeth whitening for you, it is best to consult your dentist for a recommendation. Even though most modern teeth-whitening methods are safe, each individual has a different set of teeth with different dental risks. Only a professional dentist can recommend the safest and most effective method of teeth whitening for your smile.
History of Teeth Whitening by Jaclyn M Kilani
