Oral hygiene is an important part of good dental care. Brushing your teeth twice daily helps mitigate bacterial growth that would otherwise grow to eat away at your enamel, causing tooth decay or gum disease.
The Pilgrims and early Native Americans were important, too. It’d be a shame not to give them a shoutout with Thanksgiving just around the corner! To honor these past figures and prepare your teeth for all the pie you’ll be eating, let’s take a moment to learn how they brushed their teeth.
The Pilgrims and Hogs’ Hair
Obviously, the settlers aboard the Mayflower didn’t have mass-produced plastic toothbrushes with varying bristle textures. No, the suitable resources they had on hand were sticks and hogs. They would tie hogs’ hair to the end of twigs (or sometimes bone), fashioning what Historians believe were some of the first toothbrushes ever created. These prototypes were mostly effective, but still limited when it came to taking care of bacteria.
Early Native Americans’ Herbal Solution
The Native Americans used a much more pleasant-sounding twig toothbrush. Instead of hogs’ hair, they used sage. Their wisdom was spot-on; sage has antimicrobial properties and has been shown in studies to effectively eliminate harmful oral bacteria. If you think about it, it does make more sense to use a plant rather than animal hair to promote healthy and clean teeth!
Your Oral Hygiene Options Today
Fortunately, modern toothpaste and mouthwash solutions have followed the Native American’s hygienic solution more closely – although today’s toothbrushes are probably more like hogs’ hair in stiffness. Your dentist would most likely recommend a soft-bristled toothbrush because they’re non-abrasive, as well as a fluoride toothpaste due to the mineral’s natural ability to guard against tooth decay.
You also have two resources that the Pilgrims and early Native Americans did not: floss, and your friendly dental professional! Both threaded floss and water flossers help with bacteria that accumulates between your teeth, so it’s important not to skip out on daily flossing.
Meanwhile, your dentist can clean away hardened bacteria that’s harder to get rid of and can monitor your oral health with checkups. Take advantage of this modern amenity and be sure to schedule an appointment with your dentist before chowing down on turkey and cranberry sauce!
About the Practice
Our team at Canyon Creek Family Dentistry of Richardson recognizes that no two patients are the same. Providing the best oral care possible means tailoring each treatment to meet an individual patient’s needs and goals, so our dentists take the time to get to know you and your smile. If you’d like help with your oral hygiene during the holiday season, contact our office at 972-644-3800.