You are so right. Most people take what we have for granted but actually it is relatively new to our culture and society. What was a real eye opener to me though was when I got stationed in Naples, Italy in 1977. Taking a crammed city bus, I was amazed and sickened at how bad it stunk. No concept of bodily hygene.
Lets say a different concept. It's really only in the last several decades (and only in a few places on this planet) that perfectly normal body oder has became an obsession.