I’ve brushed my teeth with soap! 😀
According to the Household Companion: Book Of Etiquette of 1909: ‘It is sufficient to brush the teeth with soap two or three times each week (without interfering with the daily cleansing). For this a very pure soap should be used. It is not an agreeable process, but one soon becomes used to it, and the results are very desirable. Soap contains alkali, and alkalies are highly recommended for the teeth. They are antiseptic, and, therefore, very useful for the mouth. Soap removes the deposits on the teeth, which many of the most famous powders do not, except by destroying the enamel which protects them.’
When I first read about brushing teeth with soap I thought why on earth should one do that! 😀 But then I thought again and I didn’t sound so crazy anymore. 😉 It doesn’t contain dangerous chemicals, and glycerine (which might be bad for the teeth according to some sources).
How to do it? I’ve grated the castile soap bar (pure olive oil soap) finely, wetted the toothbrush and dipped it into the grated soap and brushed my teeth.
How was it? I feared it would taste terribly of soap, but it wasn’t that bad! 😉 There’s a slight bitter taste at the beginning (I’m a bit sensible to bitter taste: I don’t like to eat bitter things such as radicchio etc.), but even I didn’t find it too bitter 😉 , and the bitter taste disappears after some seconds. Of course, the grated soap foames very much, just like ordinary store-bought toothpaste. It has no specific aftertaste, but fresh, and the teeth feel clean. I think it’s an everyday alternative to toothpaste and it’s certainly useful in special circumstances: e.g. when one’s forgotten to pack toothpaste for a journey.
If you’re interested here you’ll find more Victorian and Edwardian tooth powder and toothpaste recipes. I’ve also tried out a Basic Tooth Powder Recipe, and a Natural Homemade Toothpaste Recipe.
As a child my Dr had brilliant white teeth, he brushed with coal tar soap. Iv3 started using baby soap and my teeth are squeaky clean.