I just read an article (in Slovenian) about using natural toothbrush - that you can just grab from a tree!
Apparently the rest of the world has been using them for millenia.. They are known as chewing sticks, Miswak or siwak, muthala in Namibia or datan, datun, datun or so in India.
Used in old China, India, Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece and Rome, and by Amercian Natives, they can even be bought online! Nowadays they are more present in Muslim areas, as they've taken on a religious meaning.
But why buy? Go outside and uhm, pick a branch from a tree/shrub!
Apparently the original miswak is made from "twigs of the Salvadora persica tree, also known as the arak tree or the peelu tree" which according to Wikipedia has antibacterial and perhaps also other healing properties, possibly also curing you of rheumatism or asthma as you chew - or helping you to quit smoking (!).
Not surprisingly, even the toothpaste industry got in on it:
Quite shockingly, "A 2003 scientific study comparing the use of miswaak with ordinary toothbrushing concluded that the results clearly were in favor of the users who had been using the miswaak provided they had been given proper instruction in how to brush using the miswak."
"Other tree types that are used are the olive, walnut, and other trees with bitter roots."
The Slovenian author said he just started to experiment with various trees, and recommends olive tree, sumach, ash tree or peach - they are easy and pleasant to use (he didn't research their antibacterial etc properties though, so this is still open to research).
He said some were a no-go (oak, hazel, linden tree, pine tree/spruce, cedar, cherry etc.) - because their wood was very hard to chew or tasteless, or not making pretty fibers (they either got frayed, fell off or were too thick)
His favourite trees are olive, ash tree, peach, sumach or 'smoke tree' (I hope that's the right link!), acacia, Syringa vulgaris or common lilac (which is interestingly also in the olive family), and some others.
There are tutorials online and on Youtube, on how to use it!! :)
Maybe a bit more research is needed, to see if any of those could be toxic in greater amounts, and exactly HOW to use it! - but I'm excited to try!! :)
