Impressions Those pearly whites!

[Mrs. V]

In reenacting, there are many nice representations of tooth brushes, tooth powder (I still have a tin of Pepsodent!) with no sign of dental floss, although I imagine that's what a splinter is for. And these articles are fairly inexpensive to own as well..

So here is the question, how do you store your toothbrush, while encamped? Sure you can stick it in your tin cup at bedtime, but where do you put it during the day so that it stays in a sanitary-ish condition? In with your mess kit, down in a nook of your haversack? Would they have been wrapped in cloth?

Inquiring minds want to know!

 

[JOHN42768]

Just a guess ,but gutta percha was used to make small boxes

 

[NH Civil War Gal]

I wonder what the frequency of tooth brushing was back then. The Anne of Green Gables books series - it was a long series actually, not just the book, Anne of Green Gables, has one of the boy characters brushing his teeth on Saturday night when he gets his bath and being commended for that! That would be back in the 1890s to early 1900s.

And I do remember reading about one professor, either Oxford or Cambridge in the late 1700s who was considered "most peculiar" because after every meal he would take a green twig and flatten it and rub it all over his teeth and between them - at the table. When he died in his 90s, he had quite a few of his original teeth which was something noteworthy back then.

Back in 1963, in first grade, we had a dental hygienist come to our school with this HUGE set of teeth and a giant tooth brush. She instructed us in how to brush our teeth and gave out toothbrushes and paste. We were told to brush once a day before going to bed. Nothing about flossing.

Now we are supposed to brush and floss after we eat any meals or anything sticky really. Things have evolved.

 

[johan_steele]

Many men carried a possibles bag with their toothbrush tooth powder, comb and housewife along with other small items. It was easily enough dropped in the knapsack or blanket roll or even a pocket with their pocket knife.

 

[Mike Serpa]

Today people have their teeth whitened that they look too bright. I came home late one night and turned on the boob tube. A movie during ancient Roman times. All the actors had bright pearly whites! I pondered if teeth were as white back then.

 

[bankerpapaw]

I remember my grandmother cutting a twig, splitting one end and using that as a toothbrush.