Alongside extremely early precursors to the toothbrush, such as chewing sticks, dental mouthwash was one of the earliest pieces of dental equipment that humanity used to keep teeth healthy, even if it took centuries before scientists would figure out why. Unlike modern mouthwashes, which use a range of ingredients to dissolve plaque, kill bacteria and provide a healthy environment for teeth, early mouthwashes were developed as much out of superstition as evidence of efficacy. The earliest forms of mouthwash-style treatments are found in traditional medicine systems, such as ancient Chinese medicine and Ayurveda oil pulling. However, given the spiritual aspects...

The first dental care product that will come to mind for many people is toothpaste, and almost everyone regularly uses it to help protect their teeth as well as avoid tooth decay and gum disease. Whilst the first modern toothpaste containing fluoride was Crest in the 1950s, which made it more effective than simply working as an abrasive to remove stains from teeth, the use of toothpaste has existed for over a thousand years thanks to a very early popular musician. Believed to have been born in Baghdad during the era of the Abbasid Empire, the man most commonly known...

Whilst the popularity of home water flossers as a dental care product has soared over the past decade, both the concept of using water jets to clean between teeth and the oral irrigator as we know it today is over half a century old. Following the rise in interest in interdental cleaning which led to the more widespread adoption of dental floss following the Second World War, people were increasingly interested in ways that they could keep their mouths as clean as possible as easily as possible. One solution that was used in dental clinics was syringing, which used small...

Good oral health isn’t just about brushing your teeth twice a day… a solid dental hygiene regime should always involve flossing at least once a day so you can look after your gums as well as your teeth. Some people are more prone to plaque buildup, inflammation and gingivitis, unfortunately, so if you do land in this camp you’d be wise to be particularly vigilant to keep dental problems at bay. However, even if you are diligent with your flossing, it’s possible that you may still experience warning signs of a burgeoning problem, with bleeding gums the biggest indicator that...

Every dentist will advise consumers that an electric toothbrush is better for everyday use than a manual one. However, it is still wise to have a manual toothbrush handy, for various reasons. The list of advantages an electric toothbrush has is extensive and numerous. Firstly, it has an oscillating head that cleans better, with far more strokes. It also cleans more evenly than a manual toothbrush, with right-handed brushers putting more pressure on the left side of their mouth than the right and vice versa for left-handers. With its extra brushes from the fast-moving head, electric toothbrushes also remove extra...

The dental care product that everyone needs to have is a toothbrush, but there are a lot of options when it comes to which specific brush to choose. Should you get a brush with soft or firm bristles? Which size brush handle is best? And should you get an electric or manual toothbrush? There are some solid answers for all of these. You should opt for softer bristles as firm bristles can wear away at tooth enamel. The right-sized toothbrush is the one that fits most comfortably in your mouth and allows you to access every part of your teeth....