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The History and Truth Behind Toothpaste: Ancient Origins to Modern Marketing

Do you pick up a toothbrush and toothpaste to brush your teeth with after every meal?

Perhaps the answer to this question is no for a large number of people, as this act is considered one of the habits that require regularity, repetition, and trust in it first. Despite this, today’s home is not devoid of a collection of toothbrushes and toothpaste of one or more types in one corner of it.

But has it ever occurred to you to wonder whenever you do this process, when did it start? What is this paste that you use to clean your teeth? Is it really useful, as was said, or does marketing play a role in its consumption? Did he preserve the ancient ingredients in his mixture?

Iris blossom

The history of toothpaste goes back to ancient civilizations, as the Egyptians were among the first to develop a substance for cleaning teeth around 5000 BC, and for this purpose they used ground bones, oyster shells, and dried herbs such as mint to make a primitive paste.

At the beginning of this millennium, researchers discovered a formula for toothpaste dating back to the fourth century AD in documents made of papyrus paper, which was used in ancient Egypt, and preserved in Vienna, Austria. Accordingly, this document was considered the oldest formula for toothpaste known to man.

The components of this composition included one drachma of salt, two drachmas of mint, 20 grains of black pepper, and an amount of dried iris, which doctors recently discovered provides protection against gum disease. The drachma is a very precise unit of weight equivalent to one hundredth of an ounce, as it does not fill This quantity is a tube of toothpaste, so they used to make it every time they brushed their teeth. They would grind the ingredients to be very fine, mix their particles with the blossom particles (iris), and massage the teeth down with this mixture until they reached the gums.

Blends around the world

The first toothbrush made of fish bones and fish spines was found in ancient China. Before that, they used areca branches, a tropical plant whose nuts were also used as toothpaste. They also used areca in the East to make their own toothpaste, by mixing it with the lime resulting from grinding mollusc shells. They made gum that kept teeth clean, white and shiny.

It should be noted that toothpastes whiten teeth and do not change their actual color (pixels).

In about 550 BC in ancient Persia, they used to clean their mouths by applying a mixture of dye and boric acid with a brush. Among the Arabs, references mention that cleaning the teeth was a death ritual, as they had to clean them with the siwak so that the soul would appear clean before God.

During the 17th century, a mixture of coral dust or burnt and crushed eggshells was used as toothpaste in some parts of America. The mixture was placed on a piece of cloth and then rubbed on the teeth. In Europe, sugar cane was used to maintain oral hygiene, which even doctors recommended. Such as Frederick Slier (1647-1727), a famous English physician and chemist.

First sophisticated attempt

Although there have been many attempts to develop a product that would aid in oral hygiene, toothpaste did not begin to be used in a widespread and standardized manner until the 19th century. Toothpaste as we know it today originated in 1842, when dentist Peabody (named The first is unknown) The idea of ​​adding soap to the toothpaste formula that existed at that time, and based on this addition, toothpaste was improved every few years with new and interesting ingredients, and in 1850 John Harris added a new ingredient to the Peabody formula, which was chalk.

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In 1873, Colgate launched the first toothpaste that it produced in large quantities, in powder form and packaged in a glass jar. This revolutionized the dental health industry and made toothpaste accessible to the general public. The late 19th century also witnessed another major advance in toothpaste packaging. Teeth with the invention of collapsible tubes.

In 1892, the son of dental surgeon Washington Sheffield Wentworth, who is an avid drawing enthusiast, realized how easy it was for painters to handle color tubes, and from here the first tube of toothpaste was born. Accordingly, this innovation allowed for ease of distribution, carrying, and convenience for use. In addition, the composition of toothpaste underwent changes with Over time, soap, which was initially used in toothpaste, was replaced with other ingredients such as sodium lauryl sulfate, leading to a shift to gentler toothpaste options with a variety of flavors.

Acknowledgment of achievement

The year 1901 is considered a very important year for the development of toothpaste, when dentist Frederick McKay began studying the use of fluoride in dentistry, and as a result fluoride toothpaste appeared for the first time in 1914.

In 1950, Procter & Gamble launched a research project to develop a new toothpaste containing fluoride as a main ingredient, which was introduced in industrialized countries at the end of the sixties. Thanks to this new formula, the rate of tooth decay in children between the ages of 6 and 16 years decreased by 49 per cent. 100, which is a decrease very similar to that experienced by adults.

The year 1901 is considered a very important year for the development of Pixels toothpaste.

In 1955, Procter & Gamble’s Crest toothpaste was recognized by the American Dental Association (ADA) for its effectiveness. This achievement stimulated the widespread use of toothpaste. Once the benefits of fluoride were discovered and exploited, research focused on other major problems such as tartar. And tooth hypersensitivity, until 1990, with the appearance of the first toothpastes aimed at eliminating both conditions.

Advertisements and truth

Today, with the spread of marketing advertisements that call extensively for the use of toothpaste from specific companies, it is necessary to know some details that are not said in public, as regular, non-whitening toothpastes work to remove some of the surface stains that change the color of the teeth. Toothpastes were designed Bleach removes surface stains that are difficult to get rid of, as it usually contains a group of rough ingredients to remove stains, such as silica, some of which contain carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide, and some of them may contain the blue chemical cofarin, which creates an optical illusion that can make the teeth appear Less yellowing immediately, while when using a toothpaste containing other whitening agents, it may take several weeks to notice the change when used twice daily, and it may take two to six weeks for teeth to appear whiter.

Therefore, it must be known that toothpastes whiten teeth and do not change the actual color of the teeth. If an individual is a smoker or drinks a lot of coffee or red wine, he may not see the results he expects from his toothpaste. Therefore, whitening toothpastes can solve minor damage and some dark surface spots. However, they are unable to reach far enough into the enamel to eliminate deep stains, and the abrasive ingredients in toothpaste can damage tooth enamel if used excessively over the long term.

Hence, you must pay attention to the advertisements for these products and know what they are and what they are, and therefore dentist K. Sarveendran, who runs her private clinic in Toronto, Canada, sought to share many tips and informational content related to oral hygiene and health on her “Tik Tok” page, and expressed She denounced toothpaste advertisements and the amount of toothpaste she uses, considering that the amount shown in the media is completely exaggerated, and showed the correct amount that we should use every day for optimal dental hygiene, which is equivalent to the size of a pea.

2024-02-25 11:10:48

#Brush #paste…beyond #white #teeth #bright #smile

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