Lead-free toothpaste tubes make brushing safer!

Before 1950, we never thought we were exposing our bodies to lead poisoning every time we brushed our teeth, but we were! Fortunately, that didn’t happen often. Early toothpaste tubes were made with lead lining which contaminated the contents. Before that, teeth were cleaned with toothpicks, wooden or metal. Gum disease was prevalent.

In the early years of concern about oral hygiene, teeth were cleaned by powders or a paste in a jar. Dr. Washington Sheffield, a prominent dentist and dental surgeon in New England, felt that it was unhealthy for families to share a jar of toothpaste, with everyone dipping their toothbrushes into the same pot. In 1881, he invented a collapsible tube to dispense the toothpaste hygienically for each user. He and his son, Lucius who was also a dental surgeon operated a very successful business, manufacturing and selling their toothpaste. The company is still in business in New London, Connecticut, and you can still buy Dr. Washington Sheffield’s Original Dentefrice.

During World War Two, we recycled our toothpaste tubes. The lead in them was recovered and used in ammunition. I remember throwing empty tubes into an enclosure in Gore Park in downtown Hamilton.

Shortly after this, a lead-free tube was invented. This is the one we use today, not just for toothpaste, but for many other products as well. We can give thanks that creative minds are always working.