Nearly half a billion people in China never brush their teeth
It is estimated that less than half of the rural population and only 10% of Chinese city dwellers have proper dental hygiene! It's so bad that many people resort to using twigs or green tea to clean their teeth, either out of tradition or out of necessity due to poverty. Even former chairman Mao Zedong is said to have had teeth that were stained green! Currently, for every 60,000 people in China, there is only one dentist.
More Info:
oneindia.com
What are your thoughts on this subject?
51 Comments
Sridhar Nyapathi
The old practice is to cut a small twig, the size of a pencil,from a tree and chew the end of it into a brush , and use it .The older generations knew which trees which were good for this purpose, and which to avoid. Many still use them in villages because they can not afford a brush.The practice is still prevalent in India.
47
Jul 25, 2017 11:04PM
patrhea
My grandmother once showed me a tree next to her garden and told me that when she was a little girl they would take twigs from that Sassafras tree to use for toothbrushes. I ask why, and she said there were no toothbrushes in the stores to buy until after the WW1. That was all they had back in 1890-1900's. She then broke a twig for me and one for her. We chewed to make a brushy tip and it tasted like Teaberry chewing gum if anyone remembers that😉 Good memories of walking with my Grandmother.
Excellent Q&A
41
Aug 14, 2019 7:07PM
Tobias Cordingley
Just because they don't brush their teeth, doesn't mean they do not clean them. There are hundreds of natural ways to clean your teeth. Chewing, swilling, jets, and so on. Brushing wears down enamel. Those half a billion, might have something over us!
35
Jul 25, 2017 5:51PM
James Merendino
7 out of 10 Americans brush their teeth. Not much better. (glass houses)
18
Jul 25, 2017 5:47PM
Elizabeth Ouma
A lot of cultures don't "brush" their teeth in a traditional western way. Some in Africa chew a piece of sugarcane (when fresh it is not potent and has antibacterial properties much like honey) which is very fibrous and when all hat is left is the fiber you would think you have had a professional cleaning your teeth are so smooth. (If you has sugarcane stalks available in your grocery store or have a Bahamas mama restaurant near you {they use fresh squeezed sugarcane in some of their drinks either asked for the already squeezed part and chew it for a few minutes or as for a piece - you would need to peel the tough outside skin of with a knife if you can't bite it with your teeth- and chew it its very juicy at first} I challenge you to give it a go) ergo brushing teeth is not the only path to good oral hygiene.
8
Apr 16, 2015 2:35PM
David McKay
True Falses are nearly always true
7
Jul 31, 2019 10:06PM
Phyllis Keh
poor oral hygine effects th whole body. That is digusting.
6
Mar 16, 2015 5:40PM
Ben
I wouldn't be surprise, that is why they are called ancient China. They have the oldest tradition known to men. Western tradition is not their cup of tea. Who would ever want to have lips to lips with chairman Mao? She would probably die of tetanus.
2
Feb 9, 2023 11:04PM
Henry Ford 1889
Communism and it's consequences
2
Jan 31, 2022 8:00AM
Noelito
Christopher John Goddard, How would YOU know?
0
Oct 24, 2021 6:03PM
Albert
Wow! No need for brushing our teeth daily. And again a true.
3
Dec 27, 2020 12:22PM
Player
Sridhar Nyapathi, I once saw someone on Kickstarter raising money for something like that.
0
Nov 13, 2020 1:15PM
Wendy Smart
My mother's grandfather use to clean his teeth with charcoal and we lived in australia thou he did come from Spanish background
1
Feb 20, 2020 11:39PM
littledick
Reminds me of when I was in grad school. Stayed in a rooming house with several guys from India. Knowing that sugar takes up a fair amount of the Indian diet, I asked one of them about dental problems. He told me that in India they use a twig from some tree (shrub?) that has fluoride properties. Interesting.
3
Jan 17, 2020 5:50PM
Jawnsin Chris
Tobias Cordingley,
Yu are dead right ..Tooth brush is a modern invention..Dentists Just wont reveal the truth..They fear loss of business
0
Dec 3, 2019 9:24PM
Jim Adams
Yeah and nearly half of the population has never been educated at all too.
1
Nov 14, 2019 11:02PM
Christopher John Goddard
They're overwhelmed by tooth decay and halitosis,omg
1
Sep 11, 2019 11:49AM
jack patti go
Wow, that is pretty sad! I see people, everyday, that need dental care!
0
Aug 11, 2019 12:00AM
Elsy O. Stromberg
DON"T LIKE THOSE OPTIONS, TRIXIE, ESPECIALLY DIRT ON YOUR FINGER. MAKE SURE NOT TO FORGET YOUR TOOTHBRUSH!
0
Jul 20, 2019 1:30PM
Sue Fairweather
got it
1
Jun 25, 2019 12:15AM
Author:
Rosie
Writer (quizauthors.com)
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