Long before the advent of Crest and Colgate, in the fourth century AD, an Egyptian scribe recorded a toothpaste recipe on a piece of papyrus that is now housed in a museum in Vienna.

The recipe called for one drachma (1/100th of an ounce) of rock salt, two drachmas of mint, one drachma of dried iris flower, and 20 grains of pepper. The scribe said that when crushed and mixed together, this made a “powder for white and perfect teeth.”

The discovery of this ancient recipe has researchers exploring and reintroducing the beneficial properties of the iris flower in dentistry. Thanks to more than a thousand years of advancements in dentistry, you don’t need a mortar and pestle today for a good tube of toothpaste!

A professional cleaning at Discovery Smiles helps too. Book an appointment today. Call 520-721-2000.