{"id":384,"date":"2023-02-13T20:28:34","date_gmt":"2023-02-13T20:28:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.drlmetzger.com\/blog\/?p=384"},"modified":"2023-02-22T20:29:07","modified_gmt":"2023-02-22T20:29:07","slug":"a-smile-with-half-yellow-teeth-and-half-white-teeth","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.drlmetzger.com\/blog\/a-smile-with-half-yellow-teeth-and-half-white-teeth\/","title":{"rendered":"Brighter Smiles: The History of Teeth Whitening"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Did you know that 80% of people surveyed want whiter teeth? A brighter smile appears cleaner and healthier. Scientists have even speculated that having luminous teeth is viewed as a sign of good genetics, which can be attractive to potential mates. When your grin is sparkling, it projects confidence, warmth, and vitality. These factors have been a driving force since ancient times! Read on to learn about the history of teeth whitening<\/a> and how you can achieve a dazzling smile now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Ancient Beginnings<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The ancient Egyptians have influenced modern times in areas such as inventions, math, sports, writing, and medicine. And you can add teeth whitening to the list, too! During this time, appearance was of utmost importance and Egyptians considered a bright smile to be a symbol of virility, wealth, and sensuous appeal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To achieve white teeth, Egyptians created a paste using ground pumice stone, wine vinegar, and ground oxen hooves. As a matter of fact, they even used urine to keep their smile bright! Old documents report this shocking revelation; their reasoning was that urine contains ammonia, a natural bleaching agent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ancient Europeans were not too far from strange practices to try and get pearly \u201cwhites\u201d. They were known to clean their teeth using acid. Though this may have visually restored their teeth, it also led to the destruction of the protective enamel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Progression of Teeth Whitening<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As the centuries passed, people explored several different ways to achieve a luminous smile. They were aiming for it to be better and faster! Here\u2019s how the practice evolved throughout history:<\/p>\n\n\n\n