What Was Hygiene Like On Pirate Ships?

Pirates are not known for their stellar dental health, and with good reason. If pirates did anything at all to care for their teeth, it included chewing on a stick made of wood.

Chew sticks date back to the ancient world and were a common means of cleaning one's teeth well into the 18th century. Finding access to new chew sticks while at sea wouldn't have been easy, however. In that case, pirates simply went without any sort of oral care. 

One thing pirates did have regular access to was water. But bathing didn't involve freshwater; that was saved for cooking. When it came time for pirates to clean themselves, they most likely jumped into the ocean.

That said, it wasn't common to take a bath - especially since leaving the ship was dangerous, and salt water can irritate the skin. Pirates were also said to be fearful of sea monsters.

During the burgeoning whaling industry of the 18th century, pirates and privateers were known to attack whaling ships for the resources they contained.

Whales have been hunted and used for millenia. As early as the 10th century, commercial whalers on the Azores islands processed whale blubber for a variety of purposes. Oil, lubricant, and soap were all derived from whale blubber, something pirates may have seized or made themselves on board. 

However, making soap out of whale blubber was incredibly unpleasant. Hunting a whale was exhausting work, and processing the animal was smelly and difficult. 

Pirate ships didn't have toilets. Instead, they had "heads," which were basically holes cut into planks that emptied into the water. Royal navy ships had heads for common sailors up front with facilities for officers further back. It's unlikely pirates made such a distinction.

The plank and hole were usually located at the bow, or head, of the ship, and the name stuck. The term is still used to describe toilets on ships, among other places, today. 

During a storm, sailors and pirates might use a pot instead of the plank and throw the contents over the side when the weather was more agreeable.

Whether due to battles, brawls, or ordinary shipboard accidents, pirates would regularly treat cuts, burns, illnesses, and the like. Ships usually had a medicine chest containing ointments, salves, and even surgical equipment. When a ship belonging to Blackbeard - AKA Edward Teach (d. 1718) - was discovered off the coast of North Carolina, its medical chest revealed scissors, screws (possibly for tourniquets and bloodletting), and mortars and pestles for preparing ingredients. 

According to The General History of the Pirates by Captain Charles Johnson, Blackbeard basically obtained these items for ransom. Being low on medical supplies, the fearsome pirate detained every ship in Charleston, South Carolina, until he got what he wanted from the government. Johnson claims the chest he was given in exchange for his captives included goods with a value "between three and four hundred pounds." 

While Johnson's General History is sometimes disputed as a reliable source, it does provide insights into pirate activity. Former pirate and Lieutenant Governor of Jamaica Henry Morgan (d. 1688) was said to allocate large sums of money for medical supplies. Disease and danger were all around, so pirates insisted on having tools for amputations and medicine on hand.