Chewing stick is better than toothbrush for brushing your teeth - says a DENTIST

The Head of Dental Department at the State Specialist Hospital, Okitipupa in Ondo State, Dr Segun Adegoke, has said that chewing sticks are better for cleaning the teeth than tooth brush.

Adegoke said that chewing sticks contained anti-microbacterial substance called ‘tannin’ which was the same as fluoride in toothpastes.

He said the natural ‘tannin’ helped to fight bacteria in the mouth, maintained the gums, made the teeth stronger and improved the oral hygiene more than tooth brushes.

“Our aged parents use chewing sticks and even at 60 years of age, their teeth are stronger than that of the youth of today,” he said. “Why many people choose tooth brush is because it is faster to use and they also hold the belief that chewing stick is outdated.

I think chewing sticks are better than tooth brushes because the tannin in it helps in various ways to keep the teeth cleaner, fresher and stronger.”

He, however, said that the only advantage tooth brush had over chewing stick was its ability to get to the corners of the mouth.