Ancient Egyptian Toothpaste Recipe Discovered in 4th Century AD Papyrus

A 4th century AD Egyptian papyrus contains the world's oldest known toothpaste formula, discovered in 2003 among the largest collection of ancient Egyptian documents at Vienna's National Library. Written in Greek by someone with medical knowledge, the recipe includes rock salt, mint, dried iris flower, and pepper. Dentist Heinz Neuman tested the mixture at a dental conference in Austria, finding it caused gum bleeding but left his mouth feeling fresh and clean. The document predates Colgate's first commercial toothpaste in 1873 by over 1,500 years. Ancient Egyptians reportedly used dental paste as early as 5000 BC, with toothbrush fundamentals remaining unchanged since Egyptian and Babylonian times. Medieval European dental remedies from texts like the 1314 Rosa Anglica and 13th century Compendium of Medicine included herbal powders, charms, and impractical recipes using ingredients like walnut shells, burnt marble, and exotic spices. While medieval practices often involved questionable methods, ancient Egyptian dental hygiene appears surprisingly advanced compared to later European approaches.