Oral Hygiene

10 Facts about the History of Oral Hygiene

  1. The Chinese are credited as having produced the first toothbrushes during the Tang Dynasty (618 to 907 AD).  The first toothbrushes were constructed from ivory, bone, or bamboo and hog’s or horse’s hair.
  1. Two ivory handles were found in a tomb dating from 959 AD.  These handles are approximately the size and shape of the modern toothbrush.  There were two columns of four holes each drilled into them for the bristles.  
  1. The Chinese used mouthwash daily.  There were a variety of items used, including saltwater solutions, tea, horse urine, wine, and vinegar.
  1. The Romans would burn and grind up animal bones to use in their dentifrices.
  1. In India, people cleaned their teeth with a chewing stick.  The sticks used were banyan, asana, arka, kha dira, karañga, badara (jujube), sal, nimb trees, arimeda,  apá mārga, malati, kakubha,  bël, kashāya, tikta or kafuka.
  1. Buddhists had 17 rules for how to clean the teeth.
  1. Muslims also used chewing sticks, called miswak.  These sticks were primarily taken from the salvadora persica, also known as the toothbrush tree.
  1. Europeans used linen cloths to wipe their teeth, in addition to using toothpicks.
  1. Tooth waters, pastes, and powders were all popular in 16th century England. 
  1.  Many recipes for dentifrices included rosemary, which is known for its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties.

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