Ancient Romans at one time used human urine as an ingredient in their toothpaste.
Romans Brushed Their Teeth With Urine (And It Worked)
If you think modern dentistry is uncomfortable, be grateful you weren't born in ancient Rome. The Romans took dental hygiene seriously, but their methods would make any modern person gag. Their toothpaste recipe included human urine mixed with pumice to create a whitening paste that, disturbingly enough, actually worked.
The secret ingredient wasn't just any urine. Portuguese urine was considered the champagne of dental hygiene, believed to be the strongest and most effective in the world. Wealthy Roman ladies imported it in such large quantities that Emperor Nero saw a business opportunity and slapped a tax on it. Nothing says "luxury item" quite like taxed bodily waste from another country.
Why Urine Actually Worked
Before you dismiss this as primitive superstition, there's actual chemistry behind the madness. Urine contains ammonia, which is a powerful cleaning agent and natural whitener. The same compound that made Roman toothpaste effective is still used in modern cleaning products today—just sourced differently.
Romans would use urine as both a mouthwash and mix it with abrasive pumice to scrub their teeth. The ammonia broke down stains while the pumice provided the scrubbing action. It was crude, it was revolting, but it legitimately prevented decay and kept teeth white.
Not Just a Roman Thing
Here's the truly shocking part: this practice didn't die with the Roman Empire. Urine remained a popular ingredient in toothpastes and mouthwashes across Europe until the 1700s. That means people were still brushing with pee when Bach was composing symphonies and Newton was discovering gravity.
The Romans also experimented with other questionable ingredients for dental care:
- Powdered mouse brains
- Goat milk
- Crushed bones and oyster shells
- Charcoal and bark
How Widespread Was This Really?
Some modern historians suggest the urine-toothpaste story might be somewhat exaggerated. While wealthy Romans definitely had access to these concoctions, everyday citizens probably used simpler methods. The imported Portuguese urine was likely a luxury item for the elite, not something every Roman used daily.
Still, enough historical sources mention the practice—including references to Nero's urine tax—that we can confirm it definitely happened. Whether it was common or exclusive doesn't make it any less bizarre.
Roman teeth were actually healthier than many modern smiles, largely due to their low-sugar diet rather than their urine mouthwash. But the ammonia probably didn't hurt. Modern dentistry has given us minty-fresh alternatives, and for that, we should all be extremely grateful.