Teeth Whitening Began In 3000 BC
A smile is the main form of communication throughout the world. Ever since the beginning of mankind, people have been fixated on ways to keep teeth bright, white and clean. Some of the early methods are pretty basic but our ancestors certainly paved the way for modern dental and oral hygiene. Let’s see what led up to man’s fixation with teeth whitening.
The first tooth brushes go back to 3000 BC which our forefathers called ‘chew sticks’. They were tiny branches with a frayed piece at the one end. They rubbed these on the teeth to remove particles. The first toothbrushes with hog hair bristles were used by the Chinese in the 1400s. European traders acquired a supply of these, took them home, and gradually many countries and cultures began using hog hair toothbrushes.
It was only when French bacteriologist, Louis Pasteur, discovered germs that people realized that an animal’s bristles could cause infection. While many efforts were made to invent a more hygienic substitute, it was only in 1935 when Wallace Corothers discovered nylon that the answer was found.
Du Pont, an entrepreneurial company, initiated a massive campaign to market Dr West’s Miracle Tuft Toothbrush throughout the USA. The public were informed about the dangers of hog hair and the numerous benefits of nylon. But Dr West’s toothbrush was ill-fated because it was so stiff that it caused gum damage. Dentists throughout the USA shunned the product. But du Pont persisted and finally, some 20 years later, it presented the Park Avenue soft-bristled nylon toothbrush to the world.
The Squibb Company caused a dental revolution when it introduced the first electric toothbrush in 1961. The product received the stamp of approval from the American Dental Association and, over the coming years, the electric toothbrush became much improved. Today they are battery operated, cordless, and even sonic.
The first records of teeth whitening show that the Egyptians were the first to attempt this process. As far back as 2000 BC they would rub their teeth with a mix of wine vinegar and ground pumice stone. Not very pleasant! But even worse were the Romans who used human urine to whiten their teeth.
History shows that it wasn’t dentists who offered teeth whitening to the public. It was in fact barbers who were often asked to extract rotting teeth. After filing the teeth, they would apply a caustic acid as a whitener. It proved to be effective but, in the process, the enamel was destroyed.
Italian dentists discovered in the 1800s that tooth discolorations could be removed with fluoride. Parents were encouraged to let their children suck on candy that contained fluoride. The results were so pleasing that fluoride was added to mouthwashes, toothpastes and even to drinking water. Years later it was discovered that fluoride was responsible for adult tooth discoloration.
Here we are now in the 21st Century and mankind is still making efforts to get the ultimate smile with teeth whitening procedures and products. According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry there has been an increase of 300 percent in the last five years in the number of bleaching and whitening procedures. These are a far cry from methods used by our ancestors!
Invisalign braces Toronto is an inexpensive way to straighten and enhance your smile dramatically. Cosmetic dentist Toronto offers various tooth whitening options to help you achieve the look that you want.
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