Hygiene and dental care in Hispanic recipe books from the 14th-16th Centuries

Abstract

Numerous recipe books from the late medieval and early modern periods contain information on treatments for body care, especially for the hair, skin, and teeth. They are miscellaneous texts in which medical content is mixed ith information on dietetics, health, and beauty, and this link with “female” concerns explains why they have sometimes been called “women’s books”. They contain instructions for the preparation of compounds to clean teeth and combat bad breath, using recipes that incorporate antiseptic materials with bactericidal effect dissolved in water or used in solid form to rub directly on the gums or asdentifrices for brushing the teeth and tongue. Other compounds are designed to heal gums and prevent gingival diseases or to provide a wedge for weak or rootless teeth. They also specify how to apply these products, usually by rubbing them on the teeth or as a mouthwash. This article studies these recipes and analyzes both the properties of materials used and the procedures followed for their application.