A BRUSH WITH

FROM: License to Kill

One concoction that was guaranteed to remove plaque – along with the rest of your head – was Bond’s ‘Dentonite’ toothpaste. The explosive putty was a creation conjured up by Q Branch, consisting of explosive paste mixed with regular toothpaste as a disguise, so Bond could slip it past any airport’s – or henchman’s – searches. Of course, we’re not likely to find much of a market for exploding toothpaste, but using everyday items for deadly purposes is something real-life spies have attempted. In fact, one alleged plot had the CIA attempt to assassinate the leader of the Democratic Republic of Congo Patrice Lumumba with poisoned toothpaste in 1961.

It wasn’t the first time something so innocuous was used as a weapon.