Silver toothbrush set, Birmingham, England, 1793

Toothbrush set, silver in red leather case with brown leather pouch, comprising toothbrush, tongue scraper and toothpowder box, by Samuel Pemberton, Birmingham, 1793

Used while travelling, this set contains a toothbrush, tongue scraper and toothpowder pot all made from silver. The bristled toothbrush became the most popular way to clean teeth from around 1800 onwards.

Tongue scrapers were used to remove the ‘furry’ deposits on the tongue that could develop after eating and drinking. Toothpowder was rubbed into the teeth and gums to clean them. A number of different recipes were created. Many included cloves, cinnamon, honey and even finely ground cuttle-fish bones. Sets like this were known as ‘morocco cased’ and the items were made by Samuel Pemberton, a silversmith located in Birmingham.