![\"\"](\"http:\/\/hudsonhighlandsdentistryblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/08\/EvolutionToothbrush_Main.jpeg\")
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WHERE WOULD WE BE <\/strong>without our toothbrushes?! Today personal dental hygiene is easy with convenient tools like toothbrushes and floss. But have you ever wondered what people did before<\/em>\u00a0modern toothbrushes? <\/p>\n The earliest toothbrushes were actually \u201cchewing sticks\u201d. That may sound rudimentary, but they were surprisingly effective<\/strong>. In ancient Babylon people chewed on twigs until they became shredded and fibrous. That created a \u201cbrush\u201d that they\u2019d use to clean their teeth. Depending on the plant used, additional antiseptic properties or naturally occurring fluoride may have even been found in those twigs. Many cultures still use Miswak chewing sticks (made from a twig of the Salvadora persica tree) for oral hygiene. <\/p>\n Around the 15th century the Chinese invented one of the earliest toothbrushes, made from\u00a0boar bristles pasted onto handles of bamboo or bone<\/strong>. These brushes worked just like modern toothbrushes do, although they were a little more harsh on one\u2019s teeth (and a little less sanitary). <\/p>\n Most Medieval Europeans didn\u2019t bother with oral hygiene. However, the meticulous few would clean their teeth using a sponge or cloth dipped into a solution made of oils and salts<\/strong>. It was probably better than nothing! <\/p>\n Modern materials like nylon bristles and plastic handles have made toothbrushes inexpensive and accessible to nearly everyone. And now<\/em>, we see all kinds of toothbrushes, from smart ones that tell you where to brush, to singing ones that make oral hygiene fun for kids. <\/p>\n Many patients ask what kind of toothbrush is best. Typically it\u2019s best to use one with soft bristles, but the kind of toothbrush you use doesn\u2019t matter as much as the fact that you use it<\/strong>\u00a0for two minutes, twice a day. So how do YOU feel about your toothbrush? If your own modern toothbrush wasn\u2019t around, which of these ancient methods would you try<\/strong>? Let us know in the comments section below. And remember, if you ever have any questions about your oral health, ask us<\/strong>! <\/p>\n THE EARLIEST TOOTHBRUSHES<\/strong> were actually \u201cchewing sticks\u201d. That may sound rudimentary, but they were surprisingly effective…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[176],"tags":[],"yst_prominent_words":[],"class_list":["post-444","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog","category-176","description-off"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/hudsonhighlandsdentistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/444"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/hudsonhighlandsdentistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/hudsonhighlandsdentistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/hudsonhighlandsdentistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/hudsonhighlandsdentistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=444"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/hudsonhighlandsdentistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/444\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/hudsonhighlandsdentistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=444"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/hudsonhighlandsdentistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=444"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/hudsonhighlandsdentistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=444"},{"taxonomy":"yst_prominent_words","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mydentalpracticeblog.com\/hudsonhighlandsdentistry\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/yst_prominent_words?post=444"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Twigs & Branches<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Chinese Boar Bristle Brushes<\/strong><\/h3>\n
European Sponges & Cloths<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Toothbrushes Today<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Does The Brand Of Your Toothbrush Matter?<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Thanks for being our valued patient!<\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"