Mother nature and oral health

There has been a greater demand in recent years for dental solutions that contain natural ingredients. This is unsurprising given that the mouth is an intimate area of the body, meaning most people are particularly conscious of the products they are using on their teeth and gums. Although this seems like a modern trend, the reality is that we have been using natural oral hygiene solutions for thousands of years. Let’s explore how mother nature has helped us create some of the most well-known products in oral healthcare.

Toothbrush

The earliest forms of the toothbrush can be traced back to as far as 3000BC, when ancient civilisations used thin twigs with frayed ends as ‘chew sticks’ to clean their teeth. The first natural bristle toothbrush similar to that used by most people today was not invented until 1498, when the Chinese began attaching stiff, coarse animal hair to bamboo or ivory handles. These were then introduced to Europe by travellers during the Middle Ages. By the late 18th century, William Addis had created the first mass-produced toothbrush using cattle bone and swine fibres.