The invention of toothpaste is attributed to a dentist named Peabody (first name unknown) in 1824. He was the first to add soap to dental paste, which significantly improved its cleaning abilities. This invention paved the way for the modern toothpaste we use today.
Before Peabody's breakthrough, people used various substances to clean their teeth, including:
- Ancient Egyptians: Used a paste made from ground-up oyster shells, salt, and mint around 5000 B.C.
- Ancient Greeks: Used a paste made from ground-up charcoal, salt, and mint.
While Peabody's creation was a significant step, it wasn't until 1850 that John Harris added chalk to the mixture, enhancing its abrasive properties for a more effective cleaning action.
Colgate introduced the first mass-produced toothpaste in a jar around 1873. This was followed by the invention of the toothpaste tube by Dr. Sheffield in 1892, inspired by collapsible tubes used by artists for paints.
Toothpaste has continued to evolve since then, with the introduction of fluoride in the 1940s and the development of various flavors, colors, and specialized formulas.
