Smiling is the number one form of universal communication. Since the human species began, women and men have been fanatical in their efforts to have clean teeth and a sparkling smile. While some of the methods of yesteryear were crude to say the least, they served as a foundation for oral and dental hygiene as we know it today. Here’s a brief but interesting history about teeth whitening.
In 3000 BC toothbrushes were known as chew sticks, made of little branches that were frayed at one end. Our forefathers cleaned their teeth with these to remove debris. In the early 1400s the Chinese were the first people to use a toothbrush with a bamboo handle and hog bristles. European traders were very interested in these objects and took them home. From then, many cultures and countries began to use similar toothbrushes.
Hog hair toothbrushes were used until Louis Pasteur discovered bacteria. This led to people realizing that animal bristles were the cause of gum infections. Science continued it the quest to find a more sterile substitute and success finally came when Wallace Corothers made the ground breaking discovery of nylon in 1935.
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.
1961 was a year of acclaim in the dental world when the Squibb Company launched the very first electric toothbrush which was approved by the American Dental Association. Technology increased rapidly and, over the ensuing years, the electric toothbrush developed rapidly. Today we have battery operated ones, cordless ones and even sonic ones.
Teeth whitening began with the Egyptians in 2000 BC. They concocted a substance using wine vinegar and powdered pumice stone which was applied to the teeth with a chew stick. If you think that sounds awful, the Romans were even worse – they used human urine. Roman doctors were convinced that urine had teeth whitening properties.
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 were the first to realize that dental discolorations could be eliminated with fluoride. In the 1840s they recommended that children be allowed to suck sweetened lozenges containing fluoride. The benefits appeared to be so positive that fluoride was added to tap water, mouthwashes and toothpaste. This was discontinued years later when it was found that fluoride was the cause of discoloration of teeth in later life.
So here we are in the 21st Century and we are still trying to get the perfect smile with pearly white teeth. The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry reports a 300 percent increase in the number of whitening and bleaching procedures done over the past 5 years. These are much safer and more effective than the unsophisticated methods of yesteryear!
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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