In 1984, archaeologists working in Chengdu, in China’s Sichuan province, unearthed something startlingly familiar: a toothbrush. Its slender handle had been carved from animal bone, and two neat rows of tiny holes once cradled its bristles, looking remarkably like the brush resting on your bathroom sink today. Yet this one had lain in the earth for more than 1,000 years, a quiet relic of the Tang Dynasty (618-907).

Long before drugstore tubes and electric brushes, ancient Chinese teeth cleaning was a thoughtful, surprisingly advanced practice shaped by centuries of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Historical records suggest that very few people of the era suffered from bad breath. So how did they do it? The answer blends everyday ritual with herbal wisdom. Here are six time-tested ways ancient Chinese kept their teeth clean and their breath fresh, along with the gentle philosophy behind them, and a few habits still worth reviving today.

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