Innovations due to the Toothbrush
Even today when there is so much focus on straight “pearly” white teeth, people rely on the toothbrush, which has been around for centuries. In the past couple decades white straight teeth have become something of a social status queue and an essential commodity to have in order to be “pretty” or “handsome.” But with this rise and importance of white teeth, many products have arisen to both clean and whiten teeth. The various things include, plastic strips to bleach teeth, overnight bleaching retainers to wear, mouthwash with bleaching properties, flossing to help gums and many more products that have become part of these million dollar companies that focus on cleaning and whitening teeth. These various large companies that you would likely recognize include Crest, Sonicare, Oral-B, Colgate and many more. The various whitening and cleaning products they have made include such things as:
Dental Floss:
Dental Floss—a plastic based string used to go in between the teeth and the gums to remove food and dental plaque from the teeth.
Mouthwash:
Mouthwash and Whitening Mouth Wash—a chemotherapeutic agent which is washed around the mouth and then spit out and is said to kill bacteria causing plaque, cavities, gingivitis and bad breath.
Whitening Strips:
Whitening strips—are disposable plastic strips that contain an enamel safe whitening gel, which bleaches and whitens yellow or heavily stained teeth.
Toothpaste:
Whitening toothpaste—toothpaste made to specifically whiten teeth instead of just cleaning teeth and preventing cavities.
On the Go:
Brush-Ups—are pads that were originally made by Oral-B, which are supposed to be on the go teeth cleaning tools. You slip them on your fingers and rub them against your teeth to clean them.
So as technology has advanced and all these new tools for teeth cleaning and whitening are being developed, you would think that the toothbrush would be out-dated and at least out of style by now. Yet it is clear by looking at studies, such as the 2003 report that the toothbrush is the number one technology US citizens couldn’t go without, that the toothbrush is in bigger demand and used more regularly in the 21st century then ever before. Not only do people like it the most but also dentists’ most common recommendation is to brush regularly and after that they will often suggest flossing or using mouthwash. According to dentists, brushing your teeth is considered the number one most important thing you can do for both dental health and oral hygiene. The toothbrush does many of the things that the products listed above do, and it is simple and convenient to use. With a little toothpaste added to it, the toothbrush will reduce tartar and plaque build-up, prevent gum-disease, lessen the chances of cavities and in doing all this will produce whiter teeth. With the focus that is put on dental health, oral hygiene and the image of a white smile, it is easy to see the reason the toothbrush remains to be one of the more popular technologies to this day.
The toothbrush may still be the most common and widely used method to maintain healthy and straight teeth, however, these technologies can augment the brushing process. But it is important to remember that without the evolution and effectiveness of the toothbrush these products would not exist. The toothbrush has had a tremendous impact on both dental hygiene and the importance society sees in having a great smiles. As a result, companies have taken advantage of the desire to have an aesthetically pleasing smile and have developed many products that can improve teeth.
The toothbrush may still be the most common and widely used method to maintain healthy and straight teeth, however, these technologies can augment the brushing process. But it is important to remember that without the evolution and effectiveness of the toothbrush these products would not exist. The toothbrush has had a tremendous impact on both dental hygiene and the importance society sees in having a great smiles. As a result, companies have taken advantage of the desire to have an aesthetically pleasing smile and have developed many products that can improve teeth.