2020 Essays
Acid as Dental Cleanser and Tooth-Whitening Practices
“For the teeth, oil of sulfur” on fol. 46r of Ms. Fr. 640 requires eau forte (nitric acid) and “oil of sulfur” (sulfuric acid) as materials for teeth whitening. The recipe records the effects of both acids as well as their “side effects” and ways to counteract them. The organization of this recipe shows the author-practitioner was recording different approaches to whitening teeth rather than providing a tested remedy. The reconstruction of the recipe demonstrates the efficacy of the remedies, while the side effects would likely be revealed only after long term use.
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More About This Work
- Academic Units
- Center for Science and Society
- The Making and Knowing Project
- Series
- Secrets of Craft and Nature
- Published Here
- July 23, 2026
