WE TEND TO IMAGINE that people from earlier eras must’ve had worse teeth than we do because they didn’t have things like modern dentistry, orthodontics, and root canal treatment, but what dental problems were they dealing with and how did they protect their teeth?
Gum Disease Through History
We have evidence that ancient Native Americans — specifically the Manitou cliff dwellers near modern Colorado Springs — sometimes got tooth decay and gum disease, because we can see the damage to their teeth and jaws in remains found in the area.
The ancient cliff dwellers ate a diet of corn (maize), beans, squash, fish, and fresh fruits and nuts. Such a high-fiber diet is great for dental health because harmful oral bacteria needs sugar and starch to multiply but high-fiber foods help keep our teeth clean as we eat them.
Dental Hygiene Before Modern Toothbrushes
Aside from their diet being a mostly healthy one for their teeth and gums, they used chewsticks to clean their teeth and chewed fresh herbs like mint, cucacua, and sage to keep their breath fresh. Chewsticks were twigs with a pointy end that could act as a toothpick and the other end was frayed and worked kind of like a toothbrush.
Top image used under CC0 Public Domain license. Image cropped and modified from original.
The content on this blog is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of qualified health providers with questions you may have regarding medical conditions.
Related posts
Discover the art of enhancing your smile.

15 Things You Didn't Know About Teeth
At Vero Dental we believe in keeping our Lehi patients informed. Join us as we explore 15 things that you may not know about teeth and oral health.

47% of Adults Have Gum Disease: Are You One of Them?
Bacteria is always present in your mouth. When you don't brush it away with brushing and flossing, it causes inflammation.

5 Cues It's Time to See the Dentist
GUM DISEASE, TOOTH DECAY, and other oral health problems don't set...