smile like a star

What happened before toothpaste was invented?

What did people do before we had that good old squeezy white stuff that tastes of mint, comes out of a tube and is called toothpaste?

According to the KidsHealth website, after people got fed up of having their rotten teeth pulled out, they started to use things like ground-up chalk or charcoal, lemon juice, ashes (the black bits left over after a fire), and even tobacco and honey mixed together in order to try and prevent decay!

Well, thank goodness we now have at least about 15 brands of toothpaste to choose from on the average supermarket shelf, all of which taste pretty nice! Call me fussy, but I find the idea of rubbing fire ashes on my teeth - leaving me with far from fresh breath - no picnic.

A great web resource on healthy teeth!

Want to know everything there is to know about having healthy teeth?

Then visit www.healthyteeth.org - a fantastic online resource which contains everything you need to know about looking after your teeth and gums, from how often you should visit the dentist to experiments and activities you can try out for yourself at home (and no, none of them involve eating lots of sugar)!

The web site is colourfully illustrated and is of equal interest to adults and children alike.

Wine to treat gum disease?

It sounds like a dream come true, but according to this BBC news report, Canadian scientists believe red wine can help prevent and treat gum disease! The research they conducted says that the polyphenols in red wine (which aren't found in white varieties) can block production of free radical molecules, high levels of which can damage the gum tissue.

Of course, dentists warn there are other risks associated with drinking wine, and people should not think it is good for their teeth. And the fact is that red wine also contributes to teeth staining  - so while it may taste nice and have some minor benefit to the gums (but nothing a good brushing can't sort out, most likely), overall the risks probably outweigh the advantages.