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Colonial America: Home Preparations for Teeth Care

© Pat Williams

Personal hygiene in the 1800s, by no means, could hardly compare to the sophistication of the 20th century, but there were a large selection of toiletries that could be made at home. This week, let's explore recipes that were expressly prepared for 19th century tooth-care.

To Make Coral Tooth Powder

Take 4 oz. of coral, reduced to an impalpable powder, 8 oz. of very light Armenian bole, 1 oz. of Portugal snuff, 1 oz. of Havanah snuff, 1 oz. of good burnt tobacco ashes, and 1 oz. of gum myrrh, well pulverized. Mix them together, and sift them twice. 

A Good Tooth Powder

To make a good tooth powder, leave out the coral, and, in its place, put in pieced of brown stone-ware, reduced to very fine powder. This is the common way of making it. 

An Astringent for the Teeth

Take of fresh conserve of roses, 2 oz. the juice of half a sour lemon, a little very rough claret, and 6 ounces of coral tooth-powder. Make them into a paste, which put up in small pots; and if it dry by standing, moisten with lemon juice and wine, as before. 

To Prevent the Tooth-ache

Rub well the teeth and gums with a hard toothbrush, using the flowers of sulphur as a toothpowder, every night on going to bed; and if it is done after dinner it will be the best: this is an excellent preservative to the teeth, and void of any unpleasant smell. 

A Radical Cure for the Tooth-ache

Use as a tooth powder the Spanish snuff called Sibella, and it will clean the teeth as well as any other powder, and totally prevent the tooth-ache; and make a regular practice of washing behind the ears with cold water every morning. The remedy is infallible. 

To Clean the Teeth

Take of good soft water, 1 quart, juice of lemon, 2 oz. burntalum, 6 grains, common salt, 6 grains. Mix. Boil them a minute in a cup, then strain and bottle for use: rub the teeth with a small bit of sponge tied to a stick, once a week. 

To Make the Teeth White

A mixture of honey with the purest charcoal will prove an admirable cleanser. 

An Excellent Opiate for the Teeth

Well boil and skim 1 lb. of honey; add to it a quarter of a pound of bole ammoniac, 1 oz. of dragon's blood [Webster's Dictionary, 1855: The vague popular name of the inspissated juice of various plants, as Calamus Draco. Obtained from such various sources, it has various properties, and is of diverse composition. It is of a red color, and is used for tinging spirit and turpentine varnishes, for tooth tinctures and powders.], 1 of oil of sweet almonds, half an oz. of oil of cloves, 8 drops of essence of bergamot, a gill of honey water, all mixed together, and put in pots for use.

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