Sky Eclat
JF-Expert Member
- Oct 17, 2012
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Toothbrushes date back thousands of years … if by ‘toothbrushes’ you mean ‘porcupine spines’
Travel back in time 7,000 years and you may not have that much in common with the locals. But we could certainly have bonded over good oral hygiene, something mankind has striven for throughout recorded history.
Admittedly, for much of this time our ancestors lacked toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss and mouthwash, at least in the sense that we understand them. But they still looked after their mouths in their own way: archaeological excavations have verified that everything from bird feathers to – yes – porcupine quills were used by ancient humans to keep their gnashers polished.
The manmade precursor to the toothbrush was the chew stick, which dates back to at least 3,500BC and basically had a brush at one end and a sort of toothpick at the other (NB people from the past absolutely loved toothpicks – it’s one of the few manmade inventions in use today to pre-date modern humans). The bristle toothbrush is thought to originate from China, and eventually came to be used in Europe between the 17th and 18th centuries, which was a good idea because …
Western oral hygiene was loads better before sugar
While the many Romans entombed under millions of tonnes of ash following the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD were unlucky in some respects, the study of their bodies has confirmed that at least they were actually blessed with great teeth. Although by “blessed” you could also say: there was zero refined sugar in their diets.
Even medieval peasants actually had pretty decent chompers: despite their rotting-toothed depictions in popular fiction, the fact is they were about as likely to have a high sugar diet as they were to drive a Porsche.
Everything started going south from around the 1600s, when sugar production became common in Europe and its colonies, and was subsequently turbocharged during the Industrial Revolution. Suddenly sweet treats were available to everyone, but most people simply weren’t yet equipped to take care of their mouths in the face of this tasty new threat. In many ways, the medieval peasants had better oral hygiene than we do.
Listerine was not originally made as mouthwash
Pioneering English doctor Joseph Lister – aka the godfather of antiseptic surgery – was such an inspiration to US chemist Joseph Lawrence that in 1879 he named his new product Listerine. This was not unreasonable, because Listerine was in fact a surgical antiseptic. It wasn’t until the 1920s that a revamped, repurposed version was released to combat bad breath.
More significant was its proven impact on dental plaque – not necessarily an effect Lawrence had anticipated, but he was right to know he was on to a good thing. Nowadays, Listerine continues to be effective for whole-mouth care. Its latest range, Listerine Naturals, uses essential oils – the properties of which kill up to 99% of germs left behind after brushing, and help to clean below the gumline and leave the whole mouth clean and fresh. Additionally, all Listerine Naturals mouthwashes come in 100% recyclable* bottles, made from 50% recycled plastic.
‘Dentist’ used to be a sideline for a blacksmith or a barber
Dentistry has existed for millennia: there is evidence dating as far back as the paleolithic periodof flint tools being used to chip out tooth decay (ouch). And it is believed that there were dedicated dentists as far back as ancient Egyptian times.
However, ambitious British parents may have only been telling their children they should consider it as a career for a couple of hundred years. Before sugar was a big thing there was less call for it, and it was seen as a sideline for a blacksmith or a barber(a bit like rescuing cats is for a fireperson). Dentistry as a profession didn’t really exist until the Victorian era. But thank heck it does now.
People used to believe some really bizarre things about milk teeth
What better dental hygiene is there than saving your child from tooth-related eternal misery in the afterlife? Therein lay the logic of the medieval English custom of burning your child’s first tooth: failure to do so would result in the child spending the next life looking for it, or possibly a witch getting their hands on it. One or the other.
Not every culture took such a negative view: the Vikings thought the first tooth lost was lucky, and would pay their kids for them. Possibly this has something to do with the modern tooth fairy, which probably was inspired by folk traditions. However, in a more specific sense, it can be traced back to a 1908 edition of the Chicago Tribune, which suggested telling your sprogs that a magical being would swap their tooth for money as a tip to get children to fret less about them falling out. Surely, in its own way, one of the most influential articles ever written.
Ensure you are not stuck in the past with your oral care routine by incorporating new Listerine NaturalsEnamel or Gum Protect into your daily routine. Inspired by nature, its 96% natural-origin and biodegradable formula is free from alcohol and dyes, and packed with essential oils that work below the gumline where brushing cannot reach. Buy yours now at selected larger Boots stores
Joseph Lister
Travel back in time 7,000 years and you may not have that much in common with the locals. But we could certainly have bonded over good oral hygiene, something mankind has striven for throughout recorded history.
Admittedly, for much of this time our ancestors lacked toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss and mouthwash, at least in the sense that we understand them. But they still looked after their mouths in their own way: archaeological excavations have verified that everything from bird feathers to – yes – porcupine quills were used by ancient humans to keep their gnashers polished.
The manmade precursor to the toothbrush was the chew stick, which dates back to at least 3,500BC and basically had a brush at one end and a sort of toothpick at the other (NB people from the past absolutely loved toothpicks – it’s one of the few manmade inventions in use today to pre-date modern humans). The bristle toothbrush is thought to originate from China, and eventually came to be used in Europe between the 17th and 18th centuries, which was a good idea because …
Western oral hygiene was loads better before sugar
While the many Romans entombed under millions of tonnes of ash following the eruption of Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD were unlucky in some respects, the study of their bodies has confirmed that at least they were actually blessed with great teeth. Although by “blessed” you could also say: there was zero refined sugar in their diets.
Even medieval peasants actually had pretty decent chompers: despite their rotting-toothed depictions in popular fiction, the fact is they were about as likely to have a high sugar diet as they were to drive a Porsche.
Everything started going south from around the 1600s, when sugar production became common in Europe and its colonies, and was subsequently turbocharged during the Industrial Revolution. Suddenly sweet treats were available to everyone, but most people simply weren’t yet equipped to take care of their mouths in the face of this tasty new threat. In many ways, the medieval peasants had better oral hygiene than we do.
Listerine was not originally made as mouthwash
Pioneering English doctor Joseph Lister – aka the godfather of antiseptic surgery – was such an inspiration to US chemist Joseph Lawrence that in 1879 he named his new product Listerine. This was not unreasonable, because Listerine was in fact a surgical antiseptic. It wasn’t until the 1920s that a revamped, repurposed version was released to combat bad breath.
More significant was its proven impact on dental plaque – not necessarily an effect Lawrence had anticipated, but he was right to know he was on to a good thing. Nowadays, Listerine continues to be effective for whole-mouth care. Its latest range, Listerine Naturals, uses essential oils – the properties of which kill up to 99% of germs left behind after brushing, and help to clean below the gumline and leave the whole mouth clean and fresh. Additionally, all Listerine Naturals mouthwashes come in 100% recyclable* bottles, made from 50% recycled plastic.
‘Dentist’ used to be a sideline for a blacksmith or a barber
Dentistry has existed for millennia: there is evidence dating as far back as the paleolithic periodof flint tools being used to chip out tooth decay (ouch). And it is believed that there were dedicated dentists as far back as ancient Egyptian times.
However, ambitious British parents may have only been telling their children they should consider it as a career for a couple of hundred years. Before sugar was a big thing there was less call for it, and it was seen as a sideline for a blacksmith or a barber(a bit like rescuing cats is for a fireperson). Dentistry as a profession didn’t really exist until the Victorian era. But thank heck it does now.
People used to believe some really bizarre things about milk teeth
What better dental hygiene is there than saving your child from tooth-related eternal misery in the afterlife? Therein lay the logic of the medieval English custom of burning your child’s first tooth: failure to do so would result in the child spending the next life looking for it, or possibly a witch getting their hands on it. One or the other.
Not every culture took such a negative view: the Vikings thought the first tooth lost was lucky, and would pay their kids for them. Possibly this has something to do with the modern tooth fairy, which probably was inspired by folk traditions. However, in a more specific sense, it can be traced back to a 1908 edition of the Chicago Tribune, which suggested telling your sprogs that a magical being would swap their tooth for money as a tip to get children to fret less about them falling out. Surely, in its own way, one of the most influential articles ever written.
Ensure you are not stuck in the past with your oral care routine by incorporating new Listerine NaturalsEnamel or Gum Protect into your daily routine. Inspired by nature, its 96% natural-origin and biodegradable formula is free from alcohol and dyes, and packed with essential oils that work below the gumline where brushing cannot reach. Buy yours now at selected larger Boots stores
Joseph Lister
