 |
| It wasn't always like this! |
 |
| 200 000 years ago dental care was less efficient |
In the olden days, man had to get creative to clean his teeth and make his breath less pungent to friends and family. We don't know who first invented the idea of tooth cleaning, although markings on teeth found in caves dating back to the Stone Age suggest that ancient man used makeshift toothpicks likely fashioned from wood or bone to remove seeds and bone fragments from between his teeth.
The practice of gnawing on aromatic sticks or twigs was probably widespread even before the invention of toothpaste; native herbs like mint and ginger freshened breath, while foods that required lots of chewing promoted salivation. Whole grains also acted as mild abrasives to help remove plaque buildup.
