# Is Tooth Powder Still Made? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 28, 2012, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-tooth-powder-still-made/623389 "2012-05-28T22:55:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2012, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-tooth-powder-still-made/623389/1 "2012-05-28T22:55:06Z")
I was at a yard/junk sale Saturday, and I saw an old can of tooth powder. I haven’t seen this stuff since I was a little kid (my grandparents used it). Is it still available? ---
**Author:** ![Alley\_Dweller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alley_dweller/32/430_2.png) [@Alley\_Dweller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alley_Dweller)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2012, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-tooth-powder-still-made/623389/2 "2012-05-28T23:02:09Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I was at a yard/junk sale Saturday, and I saw an old can of tooth powder. > I haven’t seen this stuff since I was a little kid (my grandparents used it). > Is it still available? [Enjoy!](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=tooth+powder) ---
**Author:** ![pkbites](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pkbites/32/204_2.png) [@pkbites](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pkbites)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2012, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-tooth-powder-still-made/623389/3 "2012-05-28T23:28:47Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > I was at a yard/junk sale Saturday, and I saw an old can of tooth powder. > I haven’t seen this stuff since I was a little kid (my grandparents used it). > Is it still available? I’ve seen it at Walgreen, CVS, and a few small independent pharmacies that, believe it or not, still exist. And I saw it in those places in the last 6 months. Don’t remember the price though. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 28, 2012, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-tooth-powder-still-made/623389/4 "2012-05-28T23:45:05Z")
You know how some people always wet their toothbrush before using it? I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s a holdover habit from tooth powder use. Either their own use of it, or their parents (like mine) always rinsing the toothbrush first, out of that habit from their own youth, and us wee impressionable tots imitating our parental guidance units. If you look at instructions of tooth powder use, you’ll see what I mean. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2012, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-tooth-powder-still-made/623389/5 "2012-05-29T01:17:47Z")
My mother had her own way of using tooth powder: she took a “swig” of the stuff before brushing. When most tooth powder evaporated from the market, she’d keep her own tube of toothpaste and squeeze a bit into her mouth before she brushed. I could never figure out how she got the stuff from INSIDE her mouth to the OUTSIDE of her teeth. After trying it a few times, I stuck to the traditional method of applying tooth cleaner to my brush. Thanks for stirring up memories of Momma. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![standingwave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@standingwave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/standingwave)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2012, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-tooth-powder-still-made/623389/6 "2012-05-29T02:13:54Z")
> [@Alley\_Dweller](#): > > [Enjoy!](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=tooth+powder) and [Google Shopping](https://www.google.com/search?q=tooth+powder&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&client=ubuntu&channel=fs#q=tooth+powder&hl=en&safe=off&client=ubuntu&hs=r5C&channel=fs&prmd=imvns&source=univ&tbm=shop&tbo=u&sa=X&ei=YDDET6niO6WWiALR3Pn5Bw&ved=0CLEBEK0E&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.,cf.osb&fp=b401f78238451742&biw=1276&bih=924). ---
**Author:** ![svd678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/53a042/32.png) [@svd678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/svd678)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2012, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-tooth-powder-still-made/623389/7 "2012-05-29T13:35:13Z")
I’m surprised that the links don’t mention Dr. Lyons Tooth Powder - which is still made. Some of it labeled “Vintage Dr. Lyons Tooth Powder.” I think this was the major brand. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2012, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-tooth-powder-still-made/623389/8 "2012-05-29T13:59:49Z")
I use tooth powder, but you might know it by it’s more common name: Baking soda. ---
**Author:** ![xnylder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbce88/32.png) [@xnylder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xnylder)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2012, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-tooth-powder-still-made/623389/9 "2012-05-29T14:03:19Z")
Lush makes a solid, compressed version called [“Toothy Tabs”](http://www.lush.ca/Toothy-Tabs/toothy-tabs,en_CA,sc.html). IMHO they’re grainy and take some getting used to, but handy for camping trips. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2012, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-tooth-powder-still-made/623389/10 "2012-05-29T14:05:46Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > I use tooth powder, but you might know it by it’s more common name: Baking soda. Actually the Vicco brand I know of is a brown and pungent herbal powder. ---
**Author:** ![AncientHumanoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ancienthumanoid/32/278_2.png) [@AncientHumanoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AncientHumanoid)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2012, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-tooth-powder-still-made/623389/11 "2012-05-29T16:14:45Z")
Hmmm… what else is brown and pungent?