How did people whiten their teeth 100 years ago?

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At one time, there weren't fancy toothpastes formulated for whitening or products you painted on your teeth, but people were just as interested in white teeth as they are today. Here's a look back at what they used. -A sage leaf was rubbed across the surface of the teeth. -Strawberries were mashed and then massaged into the teeth. -Burnt toast believe it or not was often used to whiten teeth. It is believed that it is the burnt bits that were ground up into a powder then mixed with a little flavored oil and then the teeth were brushed with the mixture. -Hydrogen peroxide mixed with a little baking soda was often used to whiten as both products were very inexpensive. -Rinsing the mouth often with water was often used as a way to rid the teeth of any food particles that might stain. -A mixture of baking soda and a little lemon juice was occasionally combined and then applied to the teeth with a cotton swab. The only problem with this was that the lemon juice could damage the tooth enamel, so warnings often accompanied this whitening formula. It was also important to brush off the mixture with water. -Salt was another ingredient often mixed with baking soda and used to whiten the teeth. As you have probably gathered, all of the above could damage the teeth if used too often or in the wrong amounts. If you are looking for an inexpensive method of whitening your teeth, I would suggest a toothbrush that is changed often and a good toothpaste, my favorite is listerine. And, it might also be a good idea to avoid foods that are known to stain. How do you keep your teeth white? Do you use exspensive products? I like to use baking soda on my teeth occationally. It really works too.