Dentifrice

The most essential dentifrice recommended by dentists is toothpaste which is used in conjunction with a toothbrush to help remove food debris and dental plaque.

The main purpose of the paste is to help remove debris and plaque with some marketed to serve accessory functions such as breath freshening and teeth whitening.

[citation needed] Tooth powder was historically used among the Romans to clean and whiten teeth, to fix them when loose, to strengthen the gums, and to assuage toothache.

[2][3][4] They made tooth powder from a variety of substances, such as the bones, hoofs, and horns of certain animals;[2] crabs; oyster[5] and murex shells; and egg-shells.

[9] Modern tooth powder has been positioned as a cost-effective substitute for toothpaste, as it can be applied with the index finger without requiring use of a toothbrush.