For thousands of years, people have been using various methods to keep their teeth clean and white. Ancient Romans would actually use urine to cleanse teeth and keep them shining and Egyptians would cleanse their teeth with a pumice and vinegar concoction.
Clean white teeth have long been a sign of not only cleanliness, but status as well. In ancient times, having clean white teeth was usually a clear indicator of how wealthy you were. It was also considered a mark of beauty, and remains so today.
Modern Teeth Whitening Systems - Reconnecting with the Past
Fortunately, advances in
cosmetic dentistry have allowed us more sophisticated methods of
teeth whitening and we are not left relying on primitive methods such as urine to help keep our pearly whites pearly. However, if it were not for these early methods, dentists of today would not have had a basis for determining what works at keeping our teeth white.
For some time, acids were used to clean and whiten teeth, however it was quickly determined that the acid actually eroded the tooth enamel and caused a great deal of damage to the tooth. But early dentists realized that the ammonia in urine is what made teeth white, and even today ammonia is one of the most commonly used active ingredients in
tooth whitening products.
The many teeth whitening procedures in the past have led to the selection of methods we have available today. As modern technology advances, there will probably be even more methods available to us that are easier to use and provide longer lasting results. Tooth whitening is quickly becoming one of the most commonly sought after dental procedures, so it is more than likely going to be a process that will continue to become more advanced as time goes by.