Urine Used as Mouthwash in Ancient Rome
Before toothpaste, some Romans rinsed their mouths with human urine.
Urine Used as Mouthwash in Ancient Rome, public domain
Roman Mouthwash—With Urine
Step into a Roman bathroom and you might see something shocking. Instead of toothpaste, some Romans rinsed their mouths with stale human urine.
Ammonia: Nature’s Tooth Whitener
Ammonia in urine is a powerful cleaning agent. Spanish urine was especially prized and even imported for this use. Roman poets like Catullus joked about it, but the practice was real—confirmed by archaeological finds from public laundries and hygiene sites.
The ammonia in stale urine acted as a natural cleaning and whitening agent for teeth, and imported Spanish urine was especially prized. Literary sources like Catullus mock this habit, but archaeological finds confirm its use in urban hygiene and fullonicae (laundries) alike. Romans were nothing if not resourceful—and a bit fearless with their breath.
