The innovation of placing toothpaste into collapsible tubes originated from a practice established in New London during the 1870s. By shifting from traditional powders to a ready-made crème, Washington Sheffield fundamentally altered dental hygiene routines, ensuring his clinical contributions to oral surgery transitioned from local medical application into a widespread commercial manufacturing standard.
Early Training and Practice
Born on April 23, 1827, in North Stonington, Connecticut, Sheffield entered the dental profession through the common apprenticeship route of the mid-19th century. In 1850, he began training under J. A. G. Comstock in New London. He further developed his expertise in New York City with instructors Charles Allen and D. H. Porter before establishing his own permanent practice in New London in April 1852. He attained formal credentials in 1865 by graduating from the Ohio College of Dental Surgery. His standing in the field was later formally recognized when President Andrew Johnson issued him a naval commission as a dental surgeon in 1866.
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Sheffield initially formulated his own tooth powder and a mouthwash, known as Sheffield's Elixir Balm, for patient use. By the mid-1870s, he developed a mint-infused crème that gained significant popularity among those he treated. Following a realization by his son, Lucius T. Sheffield—who noted that artists used collapsible metal tubes for paints—the duo recognized an opportunity for more sanitary toothpaste distribution. In 1880, they established the Sheffield Dentifrice Co. to manufacture their product, which they branded as Dr. Sheffield's Crème Angelique Dentifrice. The company registered the trademark in 1881 and expanded production to a laboratory facility located behind their private residence.
Industrial Expansion
The company’s operations grew beyond mere formulation. Starting in 1892, Sheffield transitioned from purchasing external collapsible tubes to manufacturing his own by acquiring presses and specialized machinery. This vertical integration eventually led to the 1900 formation of the New England Collapsible Tube Co. Simultaneously, Sheffield maintained a focus on dental prosthetics. In 1885, he secured a patent for a dental bridge system. In 1886, he and his son established the International Tooth Crown Company to manage crown and bridge patents acquired from James E. Low and Cassius M. Richmond, creating a royalty-generating system marketed as Sheffield's Perfect Crowning System.
Fast facts
- Born: April 23, 1827, North Stonington, Connecticut
- Died: November 4, 1897, New London, Connecticut
- Education: Ohio College of Dental Surgery, 1865
- Naval commission: 1866, from President Andrew Johnson
- Son: Lucius T. Sheffield (1854–1901)
- Company founded: 1880, Sheffield Dentifrice Co.
- First trademarked toothpaste: 1881, Dr. Sheffield's Crème Angelique Dentifrice
- Prosthetic patent: 1885, dental bridge
Questions readers ask
Did Washington Sheffield invent toothpaste?
He developed the first ready-made tooth crème and pioneered the use of collapsible tubes for its distribution in the 1870s.
What became of the Sheffield Dentifrice Co.?
The company became Sheffield Pharmaceuticals and continues to operate today, still producing toothpaste based on the original formula.
