THE OLD WAYS BEFORE NOW

Before the invention of toothpaste, have you ever wondered how our parents and great grandparents maintained their teeth? Have you also wondered how they managed to keep their breath fresh? Well, join me as I tell you about some findings.

I had been thinking of these questions and I only thought it was wise to talk to some elderly people to know how they managed to keep their tooth clean in those days when toothpaste was absent in their era. I found out some interesting and intriguing facts that made me wonder. Let’s take a look at some of the things that helped our predecessors maintain their teeth.

One old lady confessed that, before the invention of toothpaste, she had always used chewing stick and she still uses it even though some people think it’s outmoded. She believes that the chewing stick far more effective as compared to toothpaste. She went ahead to say that, the chewing stick was far less expensive and also has some medicinal values so she will always go in for chewing stick even if someone buys the toothpaste for her.

I found out some of the trees that are used for chewing sticks. Some of these trees include; Akitase, which literally means holder of tooth, Twa appiah, Sokodua, and the Neem tree. I even learnt some roots of trees were used as chewing sticks especially those chewing sponges known by the Gas as Takotsa. Another woman told me she prefers to use part of the plantain peel to brush her teeth. She confessed that, the upper part of the plantain peel plus grinded charcoal was a good method. She explained that, the plantain part mentioned above was equally grinded a little and dipped into the charcoal and was used to brush the teeth. It provided excellent results. So she said .She admitted that it wasted time but the end result was worth the sacrifice.

I believe you are surprised as I was when I first learnt about these methods. Let us try some of these methods and see for ourselves how effective they are.