re: #215 DEZes

Urine tax….

Urine was used a tooth whitener back in the day
History
Teeth whitening agents were used as far back as ancient Egypt and Rome. The former came up with a mixture of pulverized pumice and wine vinegar, which they would apply with a chew stick to their pearly whites. The latter had a throng of doctors who were convinced teeth could be whitened with human urine. Years later, ammonia, which is found in all urine, is still recognized as an agent that cleans the enamel on teeth.
Time Frame
By the time the 1800s hit, it was the barbers who did the teeth whitening. These hair clipping mavens also doubled as dental surgeons. Barbers would whiten teeth by first filing them down with a metal apparatus and then dousing the teeth with nitric acid. While the acid did, in fact, make the teeth shiny white, it would also eventually wear down the enamel and lead to pulpy, decayed choppers.

These people lived in absolute agony.