Toothpaste Factoids
Have you brushed today?
Most people today brush their teeth with toothpaste at least twice a day. This is quite an improvement since there was a time when toothpaste didn’t even exist. People back then did not pay much attention to keeping their teeth clean. They had no clue about the importance of keeping their teeth nice, fresh, clean and free from dental diseases. Teeth were probably closer to butter yellow than pearly white back in the day.
Along Came a Toothpaste (sort of)
For quite some time people diidn’t realize the need for toothpaste. Dental care was not very important and it remained this way until some wise individuals came up with the idea that there was something needed to maintain the health of one’s teeth. It reached a point that dental healthcare was so poor that the number of people with decaying teeth was just too numerous to count. Despite the fact that various versions of toothpaste had existed to a number of people centuries before, it was in a form that was not readily available to most.
It wasn’t until the 9th century when a when a musician named Ziryab managed to create something that comes more or less close to the toothpaste that we use today.
Toothpaste, Back Then
When it comes to the origin of toothpaste, the most likely places are China, India and Egypt, dating back almost 6000 years ago.
In China, mashed bones and twigs, mixed with salt, flower petals and water formed a thick paste that locals used as their toothpaste. One would place the thick paste on the tip of a bamboo leaf, and from there apply the paste on their teeth.
In Egypt, there is evidence from manuscripts dating back to the 4th century, describing some kind of toothpaste. The paste was a mixture of crushed pepper, mashed salt, dried iris flowers and went mint leaves. This was the standard version of what Egyptians back then used as toothpaste.
In India, people used twigs to brush their teeth. The twigs contained natural sweet nectar. They chewed and rubbed the twig against their teeth. India became well renowned for its people having clean mouths, fresh breath and white teeth.
During the early years of the Roman Empire, the toothpaste used, according to popular beliefs, was urine based. Reports from various sources back then, claim that this form of toothpaste was highly popular.
Toothpaste, Now
The components of the standard toothpastes used today are hydrogen peroxide and baking soda, infused with fluoride. This is to protect the teeth from decay. In most communities today, the number of people with dentures (false teeth) has dramatically decreased. The use of good toothpaste for cavity protection has been of great help, as most people across the globe today are capable of maintaining healthy oral hygiene routines. Coupled with floss and mouthwash, toothpaste has become the staple of most bathrooms everywhere. That’s something worth smiling about.
And even though brushing is key, you still need to have regular checkups at your local oral hygiene headquarters, and in this case, your favorite top Irving dentist here at Aava Dental.
