# samclem -- why so pissy about the teeth-whitening thread? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 13, 2005, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samclem-why-so-pissy-about-the-teeth-whitening-thread/312426 "2005-07-13T23:43:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2005, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samclem-why-so-pissy-about-the-teeth-whitening-thread/312426/1 "2005-07-13T23:43:01Z")
**Surreal** started a thread in GQ about claims that urine has been or can be used as a dental bleaching agent. “Is Urine An Effective Tooth-Whitener?” seems like a reasonable question when [companies that sell professional whitening agents to dentists](http://gentlewhite.com/illusion.htm) are making this claim. > [@Innovative Medical & Dental Systems](#): > > Teeth bleaching began 2000 years ago when the Romans started brushing their teeth with urine ? the ammonia acted as a bleaching agent. So teeth bleaching ? and the willingness of patients to suffer for it ? is nothing new. [Respected dental professionals](https://www.drbunn.com/tthpste.htm) have a hand in propagating this information. > [@Dr. Steven T Bunn](#): > > In 23 - 79 AD […] Mouthwashes were known to consist of pure white wine, or old urine kept especially for this purpose. The closest thing I can find for a proper cite for this belief is [Catullus](http://rudy.negenborn.net/catullus/text2/e39.htm). > [@](#): > > _Egnatius, because he has bright white teeth, > always smiles: If someone comes to the defendant’s > bench, when the speaker arouses weeping, > he grins; If there is weeping at the funeral pyre of > a dutiful son, when the bereaved mother laments her only son, > he grins. Whatever it is, wherever he is, > whatever he is doing, he grins: he has this disease, > neither elegant, as I think, nor refined. > Therefore I must warn you, my good Egnatius. > If you were a city man or a Sabine or a Tiburnan > or a thrifty Umbrian or a fat Etruscan > or a swarthy or toothy Lanuvian or > a Transpadane, to touch on my own people as well, > or anyone you like who cleans his teeth with clean water, > I still should not want you to smile on all occasions: > for nothing is more silly than a silly smile. > Now you are a Celtiberian: in the land of Celtiberia, > whatever each man has urinated, with this he is accustomed > in the morning to rub his teeth and gums until they are red, > so that the more polished those teeth of yours are, > the more urine they proclaim you to have drunk._ This would seem to indicate to me that the origin is a tongue-in-cheeck Roman slight against the “dirty” Spaniards, rather than actual Roman hygiene. At any rate, it’s a common enough belief. Why was the thread closed before a consensus could be reached or ignorance could be fought? Sure, it’s a distasteful topic, but I don’t understand why it was closed. 😃 ← Baking soda, for this boy. ---
**Author:** ![Metacom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecae2f/32.png) [@Metacom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Metacom)\ **Post date:** [July 13, 2005, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samclem-why-so-pissy-about-the-teeth-whitening-thread/312426/2 "2005-07-13T23:57:01Z")
[You’ve been scooped by Bippy the Beardless!](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=325449) ---
**Author:** ![Harborwolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@Harborwolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harborwolf)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samclem-why-so-pissy-about-the-teeth-whitening-thread/312426/3 "2005-07-14T00:00:37Z")
I guess the thread closing pissed everyone off. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samclem-why-so-pissy-about-the-teeth-whitening-thread/312426/4 "2005-07-14T00:04:49Z")
Dammit – I checked before I started the post, too. I sure would appreciate a merge, or mebbe just a closure and I’ll repost the Catullus bit in the GQ thread when it’s reopened. Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![samclem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a9a28c/32.png) [@samclem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/samclem)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2005, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/samclem-why-so-pissy-about-the-teeth-whitening-thread/312426/5 "2005-07-14T00:50:47Z")
As everyone can see, I reopened the thread. Thanks for everyone’s concern.