Teeth Whitening Through The Ages

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 ever toothbrushes were used in 3000 BC. These comprised of small branches that were scuffed at one end. People rubbed them on their teeth to get rid of food particles and other debris. In the 1400s the first toothbrush was invented by the Chinese. These had bamboo handles and hog hair bristles. They caught the attention of European traders who introduced them to many cultures.

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.

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.

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.

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.