History of Teeth Whitening
People have been using teeth cleaning devices for thousands of years. As far back as 3000 BC, people used small branches with frayed ends to scrape particles from their teeth. Ancient Egyptians used similar chew sticks as toothbrushes along with a paste made of wine vinegar and powdered pumice stone. In many undeveloped areas of the world, people still use this type of method for cleaning their teeth.
It wasn’t until 1498 that bristle toothbrushes first came into use in China. The toothbrushes were made of either bone or bamboo with the bristly hair off the necks of Siberian hogs attached at the end. In Europe, horsehair toothbrushes were developed but were only used among the upper classes. However, toothbrushes made of hog hair soon became the norm.
Eventually, people became wary of the bacteria that could spread from animal hair to their gums. Over 400 years later, in 1938, Du Pont developed a nylon-bristled toothbrush and hog-hair toothbrushes, fortunately for us, became a thing of the past.
With a growing number of people concerned about the health of their teeth and gums and scientific research moving at a rapid pace, it was just a matter of time before products such as electric toothbrushes and teeth whitening toothpastes hit the market.
Choosing Your Own Method of Teeth Whitening
These days, an extensive variety of teeth whitening products and methods are available. The advantages and disadvantages associated with these products and methods are a heated topic of debate. Many of these methods are safe to use while others remain controversial. Fortunately, the Internet provides a way for individuals to do a thorough research on the pros and cons of each teeth whitening method so that they are able to make an informed decision.
Be sure to check out the following article for more information concerning the various ways to get white teeth following natural or more conventional teeth whitening methods.