Teeth Whitening Began In 3000 BC

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.

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.

A company called du Pont began marketing Dr West’s Miracle Tuft Toothbrush right across America. People were educated about the disadvantages of hog hair and informed about the advantages of nylon bristles. Unfortunately Dr West’s ‘miracle’ toothbrush was so hard that it damaged gums, so much so that dentists would not endorse them. It took du Pont almost another 20 years before producing the Park Avenue toothbrush with soft nylon.

1961 was a noteworthy year for oral hygiene when the Squibb Company proudly presented the electric toothbrush. Endorsed by the American Dental Association, the electric toothbrush became more refined with each passing year. The modern versions are battery powered, sonic powered, or cordless.

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.

During the 1800s Italian dentists discovered that fluoride could remove discolorations on teeth. This began a move in the 1840s to get children to suck sweetened fluoride lozenges. The results were so good that fluoride was added to drinking water and put in toothpastes and mouthwashes because it also reduced tooth decay. Unfortunately it was later learned that fluoride actually caused discoloration of the teeth in adult years.

Mankind is now living in the 21st Century and we are just as obsessed with sparkling white teeth in our efforts for that perfect smile. In fact the number of whitening or bleaching procedures done in the last 5 years has increased by a staggering 300 percent. This information was released by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

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.