While toothbrush and toothpaste technology have doubtless evolved to the point of no return, it definitely wouldn’t hurt to preserve traditional knowledge of natural alternatives to oral health and hygiene. Yes, the toothpaste of today are well formulated to leave the mouth clean, fresh, and nice smelling, and toothbrushes have also evolved to be more far reaching and thorough. But who knows if humankind will one day find themselves in a situation where they once again need to resort to the simple tools provided by nature? Whether or not that might be, its always good to preserve traditional knowledge and try these primitive methods at least once…because we never know when we might need it again!
Black sage, which goes by the scientific name Salvia Mellifera, grows as wild bush in Guyana, South America. You break a piece of its stem and then beat the edge until it frays into a brush. You use that with salt or coals to brush your teeth. The use as black sage as an alternative to toothbrush and toothpaste has been well known to Guyanese of both East Indian and African descent along the coastal areas of Guyana. It is not clear to this publication if this plant was used for oral hygiene amongst the indigenous population.
