What were toothpicks in antiquity and modern types of hygiene products

What do we do every morning while hiring, going to school and going to other upcoming business? Of course, starting each new day, we must brush our teeth.

Such a daily ritual can be made difficult to make a small child, but an adult thinks daily brushing of teeth is something natural and obligatory, because caring for the mouth is very important and vital for every person.

A huge arsenal of appliances and cleaning products are used by people to care for the oral cavity: brushes, the range of which is now quite large, different in function pastes, tooth powders, gels, mouthwashes, mouth sprays, brushes, dental floss. From all this list in more detail we will dwell on such a useful product as a toothpick.

Toothpicks in antiquity

Basic rules of etiquette should be familiar to all people. And the use of toothpicks is not news for anyone. Being at the table and ending his meal uncivilizedly try to get the remains of food from the teeth with hands or some other devices. Everyone understands that in this case it is necessary to use this hygiene item.

A toothpick( from the English toothpick - a tooth stick) is called a special stick, with which you can quickly clear your mouth of the remnants of food. Such simple adaptations can now be found in every cafe, and in general in any catering establishment. After the conclusion of a delicious lunch or dinner, especially if you ate, for example, meat or some other food that often remains in your teeth, it is logical to use this particular device.

Exploring the jaw of an ancient man, scientists came to the conclusion about the use of hygiene items back in the days of 1.2 million years ago. Between the teeth of an ancient man, plant fibers were found, which indicates the use of plant materials, namely, pieces of tree branches, herbs for cleaning teeth from food.

The ancient Romans wore this product always with them, because they could use a wand at any time. Some people even now have their own dental wand with them.

At the very beginning of the Renaissance, such products became very popular. Nobles often wore such an article on their necks along with a chain, their hygiene items were made of silver and gold, but not all could afford products made from such precious metals, and often used other materials for these purposes.

For example, in Mexico they were often made from cactus thorns, they are rather thin and not bad for this purpose. In addition to cactus, the beak of a bird, fish bone, walrus mustache and all sorts of trees could become material for products.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, sticks for brushing teeth from bird feathers were widely distributed. Most often used for this are chicken and goose feathers. The toothpicks made of such materials could easily be made by themselves or bought from a local boy, a trader on the street. Some people used old writing feathers to brush their teeth.

How do modern toothpicks?

One of the most common materials for such a subject of hygiene is, of course, a tree. We are very familiar with wooden products.

The first machine that produces toothpicks was patented in 1872.This was done by Silas Noble and JP Cooley.

In the 19th century, products were widely used that can be used several times. In those days, cleaning the teeth with a stick in society was considered bad form, but by the middle of the 19th century public use was perceived by people as an absolutely normal and usual action.

We are so used to the daily use of such a thing that sometimes we do not even guess what the toothpicks are made of.

Quite popular are wooden toothpicks, and after all, as it turned out, they can be made from almost all types of wood. Most often we meet bamboo sticks on our tables, it is convenient because it grows quite quickly. A small cost will also have sticks for teeth from such tree species as birch, ash and beech.

The most expensive materials for such production are products from cherry, willow and oak. Products from aspen come across much less often because of the low strength of the bark of the tree. Wooden products that have a green tint at their end are, as a rule, sticks with a special disinfecting solution applied, usually it is a mint flavor.

Other ways to use toothpicks

The main function of such a device as a toothpick is to clean the oral cavity of the pieces of food left between the teeth during the meal. And with its help and with proper application it is possible to remove the plaque.

But not always this hygiene item is used for its direct purpose. Now many other applications have been found for the dental wand:

1. For cleaning the keyboard. If you wind up a wad of cotton wool, you can dipped it in alcohol composition, it's easy to clean the keyboard between the keys.
2. Instead of a match .If you need to light candles on the cake, you can also use a toothpick for this. Since it burns much longer than a regular match, you will have time to light all the candles, while reducing the risk of burns.
3. Skewers for canapes .Often on the table you can meet meat rolls with a filling or other products wrapped in a tube and fastened with a pointed stick. The dishes on the tables decorated in this way look rather original.
4. For manicure .Since it is rather sharp, it is convenient to create small patterns on the nails.
5. To create drawings for coffee .At the time of coffee, a beautiful picture on the coffee foam can also be drawn with a stick.
6. In the farm. Some use it to check whether the baking is ready or not, simply piercing the product with a sharp end and thus determining the degree of readiness.

Types of toothpicks

This product can be very different, starting from the fact that it looks completely different, the material of production can also be different.

Wooden

Wooden toothpicks are the most common, they can be a stick pointed from one or both sides.

Sometimes wooden devices for teeth can be flavored. You will understand this the moment you start using it.

We are used to direct sticks for teeth, but, in addition to them, there are also special curved, thanks to which it is much easier to clean also the molars.

Plastic

Plastic toothpicks are also quite common, which can be applied repeatedly, if you wash after use and use again, but you need to be very careful and keep your hygiene clean. Not so long ago began to appear products with silver on the tip. They are also quite useful for use, because silver, applied even a very thin layer helps kill bacteria in the mouth.

Titanium

Titanium products do not cause an allergic reaction when interacting with saliva. They look pretty presentable, beautiful and suitable for permanent use by lovers of luxury.

Medical

A good option for permanent use are considered special medical toothpicks. They are made of stainless steel, using such a product once, you can sterilize it and use it again. But it is much more difficult to find medical dental wands.

Now there are various flexible toothpicks with xylitol, sodium fluoride. They prevent the formation of plaque, and also do not allow the destruction of enamel. They are very thin and can penetrate even the narrowest slit.

Disposable

Now most of the sticks are disposable, after one use it can be discarded, and the next time you take on a new one. Disposable toothpicks are considered more hygienic than reusable.

Each of them is usually hidden in a separate package or mica, which ensures its cleanliness and convenience for use.

Reusable

But there are also reusable products that are covered with a special antimicrobial coating. In the old days it was possible to demonstrate publicly its original tooth stick, now all of them are similar to each other and the procedure for cleaning teeth with this subject try to use more modestly.

Long

Approximate dimensions of the standard toothpick: length - 65 millimeters, diameter - 2.2 millimeters, but there are also longer products, some people prefer to use just such, at its end is a rounded tip so that during use the person could notdamage the oral cavity.

How to use the toothpick

It is necessary to use the tooth stick correctly. The instruction is not attached to it, but it will still be useful to know how to do it.

Do not forget that the product should be held at an angle of 45% degrees, they need to work on the side of the teeth, very carefully, without pressure, so as not to injure the gums.

No need to try to squeeze into narrow cracks, this you can only hurt yourself. Do not also abuse this habit, like the constant picking in the teeth, which is so familiar to many people.

If during the cleaning of the oral cavity between the teeth a toothpick is stuck, do not try to pull it out with your hands yourself or with the help of another, so you can damage the interdental tissue, gums and only worsen the situation.

Ask for help from a specialist. In the dental clinic, you can easily remove the foreign object from the gap between the teeth.

Do not forget about going to the dentist and for prevention. After all, if nothing disturbs, does not mean that everything is in order. From time to time, visit the dentist and regularly take care of your teeth. Health of teeth, gums and oral cavity is one of the main components of a person's vital activity.

In addition to the fact that we regularly use a brush, a thread, various kinds of mouthwash, the use of a toothpick in everyday life is also a good habit.

After lunch or dinner, the food remains stuck between the teeth must be removed in a timely manner. Everyone does it differently, and a toothpick is one of the best hygiene options. In all catering establishments on the tables you can see a set of these products, which you can always use after a meal absolutely free.

If you do not want to use the usual ones, you can always purchase an original cleaning stick that will be a part of your style and will be a pleasant addition to every day of your life. For proper storage, you can add a special case. A toothpick is hygienic, easy to use, and in addition to its usual function, many other, rather interesting ways of using this object can be found.