Cheap and Invaluable Dentifrice

Dissolve 2 ounces of borax in three pints of water; before quite cold, add thereto one tea-spoonful of tincture of myrrh, and one tablespoonful of spirits of camphor; bottle the mixture for use. One wine-glass of the solution, added to half a pint of tepid water, is sufficient for each application. This solution, applied daily, preserves and beautifies the teeth, extirpates all tartarous adhesion, produces a pearl-like whiteness, arrests decay, and induces a healthy action in the gums.

Source: The Ladies’ Book of Etiquette, and Manual of Politeness, Florence Hartley

Feuchtwanger’s Tooth Paste

Powdered myrrh, two ounces; burnt alum, one ounce; cream tartar, one ounce; cuttlefish bone, four ounces: drop lake, two ounces; honey, half a gallon; mix.

Source: Our Knowledge Box, ed. G. Blackie

For the Teeth

A very agreeable dentifrice is made from an ounce of myrrh in fine powder, and a little powdered green sage, mixed with two spoonfuls of honey. The teeth should be washed with it every night and morning. Spite of all that is said against it, charcoal holds the highest place as a tooth-powder. It has the property, too, of opposing putrefaction, and destroying vices of the gums. It is most conveniently used when made into paste with honey.

Source: The Housekeeper’s Friend: A Practical Cookbook

To Clean Teeth

Honey mixed with pulverized charcoal, is an excellent remedy to cleanse the teeth and make them white. Limestone water is very good to be used by those having defective teeth, or an offensive breath.

Source: Valuable Receipts, J.M. Prescott

Tooth Powder

“Precipitated chalk four ounces, powdered orris root eight ounces, powdered camphor one ounce; reduce camphor to fine powder moistening with very little alcohol, add other ingredients. Mix thoroughly and sift through fine bolting cloth.” Have used this with great success.

Source: Mother’s Remedies: Over One Thousand Tried and Tested Remidies from Mothers of the United States and Canada, T. J. Ritter

Tooth Powder

A quarter of an ounce of bole armoniac; a quarter of an ounce of bark; a quarter of an ounce of powdered camphor; a quarter of an ounce of powdered myrrh.

Mix the ingredients very thoroughly together. Tooth powders should be kept closely covered in wooden boxes.

The prescription is for equal quantities of the above ingredients, but one ounce of the whole mixed is enough at a time, unless a chemist is not of easy access.

Source: Warne’s Model Cookery and Housekeeping Book, Mary Jewry

Camphorated Dentifrice

Prepared chalk, one pound; camphor, one or two drachms. The camphor must be finely powdered, moisten it with a little spirit of wine, and then intimately mix it with the chalk.

Source: Enquire Within Upon Everything.