Using a good quality toothbrush
and toothpaste can help keep your smile bright!
When we talk about dental care many people
think about that trip to the dentists every 6 months. You
DO go to the dentist regularly don't you? OK, may of us don't
because of the time involved or expense. The second best way
to protect your teeth is to follow a regular dental care regimen
at home. This would include not only brushing your teeth with
a quality toothbrush but also using some type of dentifrice
or toothpaste and regular use of dental floss. Flossing is
probably the least used but most effective way to clean areas
of your teeth that cannot be reached with brushing alone.
Toothpaste is a paste used, almost always in conjunction with
a tooth brush, to clean teeth. Good oral hygiene demands consistent
brushing on a daily basis preferably after each meal. The
first reference to toothpaste was found believe it or not
in Egyptian writings. Toothpaste back then was probably a
mixture of spices like sale and peppermint and probably some
herbs. Although not exactly our idea of good tasting, it was
most likely very effective for keeping down the decaying food
particles and was considered good basic dental care of the
day.
In the late 1800's, toothpaste and dental care become a growth
industry for many smaller companies. Oral hygiene of the day
was a mixture of chalk and various salts designed more as
an abrasive to scrape off plaque than make your mouth clean.
We now know that these types of toothpastes or powders actually
damaged teeth because of the abrasive nature of the ingredients.
The abrasiveness scraped and damaged the enamel coating that
protected teeth and left them more vulnerable to decay and
plaque build up.
By 1900, baking soda made it’s way into commercial toothpaste
products along with a small amount of hydrogen peroxide solution.
This was probably the very beginnings of teeth whitening products
for the mass market. Although actual tooth cleaning pastes
were first marketed in the 19th century, it was not very popular
until the mid 1900's. The Colgate & Company manufactured
toothpaste in the first collapsible tube, similar to the tubes
we use today. These were actually the first products that
had the basic compounds to brighten and whiten teethHydrogen
peroxide, although in higher concentrations is being used
today to remove staining and whiten teeth. Although tooth
powders, a pre cursor product to toothpaste didn't show up
on the market until this time, it wasn't until the mid 1950-1960
that modern toothpaste that we recognize became the teeth
cleaner of choice.
Fluoride started to be added to toothpastes in the 1950 and
1960’s. Fluoride is still controversial due to the claimed
"dangers" of anything chemical. Although fluoride
is not good for people in large quantities, it's a fact that
as fluoride has been added to the nations water supply, the
number of cavities in children has dropped dramatically. Of
course, there’s little doubt that fluoride has been
instrumental in lowering the number of dental cavities.
Like many shampoos, healthier ingredients (such as baking
soda, pseudo-mouthwash etc) are often combined into base mixes
of varying qualities and marketed as being beneficial. Toothpaste
is most commonly sold in flexible tubes, although one may
also purchase it in hard plastic containers with pumps. Packages
designed to stand straight up, so as to allow more of the
toothpaste to be used, are a relatively recent innovation.
You only need a little toothpaste to get the job done however.
Remember that the toothpaste manufacturers have an interest
in getting you to overuse their product, making more purchases
likely. A pea sized amount is more than enough to do a good
job brushing your teeth.
Toothpaste comes in a variety of flavors, with those marketed
to kids! Tasting like orange, cinnamon and bubblegum. Taste
has nothing to do with the quality of the product however
but may get some people and children to brush longer. So for
a good brushing, use a quality toothpaste and soft bristle
brush. Your teeth and gums will thank you!
About the Author: :
Abigail Franks writes on a variety of subjects such as home,
family, and health. For more information on good dental care
visit the site at http://www.4-home-teeth-whitening.com
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