I’ve spent the last several years researching oral hygiene. It’s been a challenging but rewarding area of study. I am by no means done with it. My passion for the project, however, has waned. I find myself looking at other topics and wondering what wonderful rabbit holes they will lead me down. I’ve doggedly remained on a path that I no longer find rewarding. Why? Because the work is unfinished? Because I feel I should? My research has become lackluster and subpar. I refuse to put out work that is not my best, and so I’ve made the decision to take a break from oral hygiene. My research doesn’t set…
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Oral Hygiene in Ancient and Medieval Africa
Chewing sticks were not just popular in India (see my post on Ancient India). Ancient Muslims have been chewing on the branches of the Salvadora persica tree in order to keep teeth clean for centuries. These chewing sticks are still popular today and are readily available. The chewing stick, also known as a miswak, can be made from a variety of tree branches. Cleaning before prayer is a basic tenant of the faith, and that is present is the Hadith. Muhammad himself is cited as saying “Were it not that I might overburden the believers-and in the hadith transmitted by Zuhair” people” -I would have ordered them to use toothstick…
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Oral Hygiene in Ancient India
I finally finished the portion of my research paper on Ancient India. I’ve decided to post it here since I am still a long way off from having the entire paper done and I want to share what I’ve found with everyone. There is a wealth of information on history of Ayurvedic and I look forward to doing a deeper dive into other areas of health and wellness once this paper is done. Toothbrushes, called datana, were in common use in Ancient India. However, they are not the toothbrushes we think of today. Instead of being constructed with a handle bored with holes for bristles, they were fashioned from twigs,…
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The Library Trip
I needed a vacation. Badly. Like, I love my job and coworkers, but if I didn’t get a break, there was going to be a riot. So, my husband recommended we go somewhere. I wanted to go to the Dr. Samual D. Harris National Museum of Dentistry at the University of Maryland, because really, who wouldn’t. In discussions with the curator, however, we realized that he did not have the type of materials I needed for my research. So, while looking for other areas of interest, I thought, I wonder if I can use the Library of Congress. And the rest is glorious history. The Library of Congress – SQUEEE!…
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The Welsh and Their Teeth
I just finished reading The Physicians of Myddfai by Dr. Harold Selcon. I learned about the book from one of the academic articles I was reading on oral hygiene and rushed to find a copy for myself. It took a few days for me to get into it, and there was a lot of information that did not pertain to my current area of research, but I did find some very interesting tidbits that I would like to share with you. How to Act at Getting From Bed, and Subsequently During the Day, with Other Hygienic Matters Chapter 186 of The Physicians of Myddfai states “…clean the teeth with the…
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A Shift in Focus
I recently realized that I hate bone carving. I was not finding joy in it, and therefore it kept getting pushed down on my task list. My research suffered because I was so focused on completing this project. A friend asked why I felt the need to recreate the ancient Chinese toothbrush. I don’t remember what I told her, but upon further reflection, I don’t have a good reason, other than I figured it was the next step in the project. But, I don’t have to MAKE things. I can enjoy the research, which is the part of the A&S community I love the most. The Plan With renewed energy,…
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Bone Carving – Shapes
I tried a few times to carve out shapes until I realized that I needed a way to secure the bone so I didn’t slip and cut myself. I purchased a small vice. We affixed it to a loose shelf and set a folding table up outside so I could work. I started with a square. I had been able to scrape away a few layers of bone before deciding to wait until the vice came in. I then shifted my plan of attack to cut a deep channel border before chiseling the inside. Going along the length of the bone was very easy as I was following the natural…
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Bone Carving – First Attempt
I finally got the courage to start bone carving. I measured out a piece that was long and thin, and marked it on either end to show where to cut. I donned my protective gear… And started sawing. 3/4 through the bone, I broke the hacksaw. Boo. Luckily, I had gotten through enough of the bone that I was able to snap it in half. I then proceeded to use a file to smooth the ends. The plan was to cut the rounded end off as well, but since I had no saw, I filed it down instead. It didn’t take that long, and I am happy with the result.…
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Some Thoughts
I have made it a point to remain silent during most of the online discussions regarding the SCA. I’ve done this for many reasons, but upon reflection, none of them were good enough for me to remain silent. So, this month, in lieu of a post about the progress of my latest project, I’ve decided to share some thoughts. Eleven years ago, I had no idea what the SCA was. Then I met my husband. An avid fencer and herald, he loves the SCA, and wanted to share that love with me. So, hesitantly, I went to my first event. I loved everything about it. While he was off fencing,…
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To Make a Toothbrush – Part 1
I have hit a brick wall with my research. I was all excited because I found “new” materials and when I dove into them, found they contain the same information I’ve found previously. This is great because it solidifies my findings, but frustrating because I was hoping to have new information to add to my project. While I have not given up hope on finding more data, I have decided to shift my focus for a bit. In an attempt to recreate a Chinese toothbrush handle, I am going to spend some time learning how to carve bone. I purchased a good quality dust mask, dug into old PPE from…