We’ve Come a Long Way, Baby!

from twigs, pine needles and chewing on herbs, that is.

 
Thanksgiving brings to mind a perfectly roasted golden turkey, creamy mashed potatoes, delicious pies, and a table full of yummy goodness. It’s also a time to be thankful for all the wonderful things in life while bonding around the table with family and friends. While the tradition of Thanksgiving hasn’t changed much since the Pilgrims and Native Americans first joined together to share a plentiful feast, the way we care for our teeth sure has.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving and being thankful, we at A Child’s Best Smile, thought it would be interesting to share how dental hygiene has changed since the days the Pilgrims first landed on Plymouth Rock.

Obviously, the Pilgrims nor the Native Americans had access to proper toothbrushes as we do now. Instead, they used animal hair tied to a twig or an animal bone to scrub their teeth. They also used pine needles as toothpicks. For toothpaste, the Native Americans had a bit of an advantage. Since they were familiar with the land, they knew what was available to them to help scrub their teeth. They used herbs such as sage and cucacua to make a toothpaste-like cleanser.

While the Pilgrims also used herbs, leaves, and even salt to clean their grins, their imbalanced diet led to more complicated oral health issues. As the Pilgrims traveled across the Atlantic from England or quite some time, they could not bring fresh food since it would rot during the journey. The food they could bring wasn’t good for their teeth, including dried meats and fruits, beans, grains, cheese, beer, and a whole lot of hardtack; a dry biscuit made of flour, water, and salt. While the Pilgrims were making their way to freedom and surviving on what food they had the Native Americans were eating a much healthier, fresher diet, which helped keep their teeth in better shape.

The Native Americans knew the land they lived on and used that knowledge to their advantage, especially when it came to food. They were hunters, gatherers, and farmers, and ate a well-balanced meal of fresh fruits and vegetables, meat, beans, nuts, seeds and berries. Good oral health isn’t just about brushing and flossing alone, it’s also about a good diet, which is why the Native Americans naturally had healthier smiles, despite not having modern toothbrushes and floss.

Now that we have the luxury of easy access to modern dentistry like checkups, teeth cleanings, fillings, toothpaste, fluoride and actual toothbrushes and floss, our oral health has become much better than that of both the Native Americans and Pilgrims. So when thinking of things to be thankful for when you sit down to dinner this year, remember to include your and your family’s healthy smile and modern dentistry!