# Brushing Teeth With urine. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 3, 2001, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-with-urine/56573 "2001-03-03T00:54:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Demo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demo/32/8472_2.png) [@Demo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demo)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2001, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-with-urine/56573/1 "2001-03-03T00:54:02Z")
I don’t know how many times I’ve heard this. The story goes that people used to brush their teeth with urine, supposedly due to the high ammonia content. The story goes so far as to include people actually selling their urine for the sole purpose of dental care. This point in particular makes me question the practice. I couldn’t find anything in the archives and only shoddy stuff on the 'net. What’s the Dope on this subject. Did people ever really brush their teeth with urine? I think I’d just stick to using my finger. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2001, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-with-urine/56573/2 "2001-03-03T01:14:43Z")
It’s all over the place as a factoid, usually stating that the Romans used urine as a toothpaste and a mouthwash. A slightly more detailed cite is the following: > [@](#): > > A giant among Roman physicians, Celsus (born about 10 B.C.), wrote extensively of oral diseases, including bleeding gums and ulcers of the mouth. His dental treatments involved narcotic-containing emollients and astringents. He saw the importance of cleaning teeth, positioning it as part of some religious ceremonies. Roman patriarchy detailed certain slaves - who might be thought of as forerunners of modern dental hygienists - to clean their teeth. The toothpaste and mouthwash that they used contained a secret ingredient: human urine! Because of its “strength,” imported Portuguese urine was especially prized, but it is hypothesized that evaporation on the long trip to Rome could have been as responsible as any ethnic characteristics. Nevertheless, urine continued to be an active ingredient in toothpastes and mouthwashes until well into the eighteenth century, because the ammoniacal compounds that it contained acted as great cleansers. In fact, such compounds continue to be ingredients in many modern toothpastes, but these are now manufactured in the laboratory rather than the lavatory. From here: [http://www.life-enhancement.com/displayart.asp?ID=378](http://www.life-enhancement.com/displayart.asp?ID=378) ---
**Author:** ![Arnold\_Winkelried](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Arnold\_Winkelried](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arnold_Winkelried)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2001, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-with-urine/56573/3 "2001-03-03T03:23:22Z")
For some other uses of urine for medical purposes, read the Straight Dope column: [Why are men supposed to wash their hands after urination? Plus: urine therapy! (12-Jan-1996)](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a4_220.html) The column and the accompanying Slug Signorino illustrations can also be found in the book _The Straight Dope Tells All_. > [@](#): > > She (Dr. Blake) goes on to give a long list of diseases, including many related to AIDS, that urine therapy will supposedly alleviate. The list includes everything from gangrene to hair loss to malaria. … I did take the precaution of checking out the concept with University of Chicago kidney specialist Dr. John Asplin. He thought urine consumption in moderate quantities was probably harmless. > > The stuff is fairly sterile, and if you do happen to have a urinary-tract infection or something, well, you’ve already got whatever germs you’re consuming. (Former Indian prime minister Moraji Desai, a daily urine drinker, lived to be 99.) ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2001, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-with-urine/56573/4 "2001-03-03T03:46:12Z")
If you do choose to try it, please remember, “_You’ll wonder where the yellow went, when you brush your teeth with Pepsodent_”. ---
**Author:** ![Demo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/demo/32/8472_2.png) [@Demo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Demo)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2001, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-with-urine/56573/5 "2001-03-03T05:19:04Z")
Yeah, I remember reading that urine therapy column, Arnold. I’ll make sure to drink beer all night before I try that one, instead of early in the morning. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2001, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-with-urine/56573/6 "2001-03-03T15:43:08Z")
Well, there’s a poem by Catullus (c. 84-54 BC) in which he makes fun of a Spaniard who allegedly brushes his teeth with urine. Catullus evidently finds this as weird and gross as we would, so I assume the practice wasn’t common among Romans, at least not at that time. I’ll see if I can find a translation and post a link to it; it’s a kick-ass poem. ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2001, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-with-urine/56573/7 "2001-03-03T15:51:46Z")
Democritus, you could try it & report back the results for us 🙂 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rysdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@Rysdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rysdad)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2001, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-with-urine/56573/8 "2001-03-03T16:50:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yabob \* > **In fact, such compounds continue to be ingredients in many modern toothpastes, but these are now manufactured in the laboratory rather than the lavatory.** Makes me wonder what they put in Pearl Drops. ---
**Author:** ![PosterChild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e274bd/32.png) [@PosterChild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PosterChild)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2001, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brushing-teeth-with-urine/56573/9 "2001-03-03T17:33:08Z")
:eek: