Teeth are important organs for people to eat and digest. They are hard and white, like snow. A clean tooth can not only have a better quality of life, but also win opportunities in social activities. Therefore, children have developed the habit of brushing their teeth in the morning and evening. In fact, in ancient times, we also attached great importance to the health of teeth, and various tooth cleaning products were everywhere.

In ancient times, although there were no exquisite toothbrushes and toothpaste, people paid great attention to brushing their teeth. In The Book of Songs, Feng Ke Solon used "teeth like rhinoceros" to describe a beautiful woman's white teeth. On the contrary, the ancients used the word "derogatory" to explain the uneven teeth, and later it was extended to the situation that the two sides resisted each other and hated each other. Cang Gong pointed out in his biography in 2000 that the cause of dental caries is related to "eating without gargling".

Above _ Historical Records Stills, Lin Daiyu gargled.

Above-Poria cocos, one of the raw materials of ancient toothpaste.

The ancients realized that dental care did not happen overnight, but gradually formed.

The Confucian classic A Dream of Red Mansions records that "when the chicken crows at first, it gargles with salt water", which means that when the chicken crows in the morning, it gargles with salt water. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, people had a better understanding of brushing their teeth.

The Book of Rites says: "The poison of diet accumulates in the teeth. Wash away the dirt at night and your teeth will never be bad. " So washing in the morning is better than washing at night, and this person is good at brushing his teeth. At that time, brushing your teeth in the morning and evening was considered as a habit to keep your teeth clean. At the same time, this book points out that brushing your teeth at night is better than brushing your teeth in the morning. Can wash away all the debris on the teeth, which is more conducive to tooth health.

During the Qin and Han Dynasties, it was shaped like a dry tobacco pouch and bronze ware, and the inside of the tube should be animal mane.

The question is, what did the ancients use to brush their teeth?

As early as the Qin dynasty, there was a bronze toothbrush, which was shaped like a smoking pot, and a cloth strip was stuffed in the round hole as a tool for brushing teeth. Even so, this toothbrush is a patent of the nobility. During the Three Kingdoms period, the ancients used to brush their teeth with their fingers. Soak in salt and have a spa. Very creative. To be precise, it should be tooth washing. Although there is a process of cleaning teeth, the actual effect is average. The Dunhuang fresco Daquan at that time depicts a monk holding a water bottle in his left hand and carefully wiping his teeth with his right hand.

Photo-Dunhuang mural "Icon of Old Du Fork Head", a monk squatted on the ground, holding a mouthwash bottle in his left hand and wiping his front teeth with his middle finger.

In contrast, the toothpicks of the same period are very tall. 1976 The tomb of Gao Rong in Wudong of the Three Kingdoms was discovered in Nanchang, Jiangxi, and two small pieces were unearthed. Experts found that one end of this little thing is a spoon and the other end is a toothpick. Although small, it is very practical.

Lu Yun, a scholar in the Western Jin Dynasty, and his younger brother Lu Ji wrote in the letter: "One day, Cao Gong used tools to pick his teeth. Today I sent one to my brother. " Lu Yun gave his brother a toothpick used by Cao Cao. Sending toothpicks was a fashionable and elegant trend at that time. Two toothpicks from different periods have one thing in common. They are all pure gold, but the bamboo toothpicks are too low now.

Above _ ancient toothpicks

The effect of brushing teeth is not ideal, and the key is that there is no good toothbrush. The real toothbrush is imported from India. Indian monks have the habit of brushing their teeth after meals, which is stipulated by Buddhist precepts. In addition to water, Guanyin Bodhisattva's clean bottle also contains two Yang Liuzhi for sprinkling water and brushing teeth. Xuanzang had similar records in the Western Regions of the Tang Dynasty. After returning home, he brought back an Indian wooden toothbrush and improved it with Yang Liuzhi.

With the popularity of Buddhism in China, the ancients began to brush their teeth with Yang Liuzhi. First, soak Yang Liuzhi in water. When brushing your teeth, bite off one end of the soaked Yang Liuzhi, and the willow fiber will spread out and become a brush, which is also dipped in salt. The effect of brushing teeth will be reflected immediately, leading to

Besides Yang Liuzhi, Sophora japonica, peach branches and pueraria lobata can also clean their teeth. This spicy taste is really bad. Therefore, there is a secret recipe similar to tooth powder in the medical books of the Tang Dynasty. "Cimicifuga 9 grams, Radix Angelicae Dahuricae 9 grams, Asari 9 grams, 9 grams of radix aucklandiae, hydrated stone 18 grams. Grinding into fine powder, grinding into powder, and sieving into powder. Every time the willow branches are soft, it is fragrant and slippery to take medicine to wipe your teeth. "

Above-Yang Liuzhi was used as a toothbrush in the late Tang Dynasty.

With the development of the times, dental cleaning tools are also improving. Su Dongpo, a literary master, made "Suya powder" from turpentine and poria cocos, which was dried, crushed and sieved into fine powder. This tooth powder is not used for brushing teeth, but for gargling. In addition, Su Dongpo also invented his own strong tea gargle, and drank a few strong teas after meals to relieve the greasy feeling and clean his teeth. There is a toothpaste record in Lao Du Cha Xiang in the medical code of the Northern Song Dynasty: "Six branches, Sophora branches and mulberry branches are decocted in water to make paste, and ginger juice and asarum are added. Brush your teeth every time. " This is the embryonic form of medicinal toothpaste.

During the Southern Song Dynasty, shops specializing in manufacturing and selling toothbrushes appeared. Wu, a scholar in the Southern Song Dynasty, described the life in Hangzhou in 700 AD .. All kinds of groceries had places to brush their teeth. There are more than 100 toothbrush shops in this street, among which "Golden Lane toothbrush shop" enjoys the highest reputation.

Pieces of Song Dynasty toothbrush unearthed in Song Qian ash pit.

Toothbrush handles in the 1950s were all made of ivory.

Toothbrushes are made of ivory, tiger bone, donkey bone, ox horn, bamboo and wood. Head drilling, horse hair implantation. The toothbrush is about 25cm long and has 4 holes and 24 holes. There are two kinds of hair transplantation: transparent infiltration and dark infiltration. The diameter of the penetration is reinforced with metal wire, which is small outside and large inside. Dark infiltration is beautiful and generous, and the process is difficult. The price of a toothbrush is about 25 pounds, which is equivalent to the price of a candle. The price is close to the people, and children are not deceived.

In the treasure house of family health care, there is a kind of

Guo Yu, a poet at the end of Yuan Dynasty, wrote a poem: "Nan Zhou's toothbrush was sent to Japan, which was the golden age of boredom. Cut the short hair into smooth tortoiseshell and lock the ice silk with silver. " The word "toothbrush" first appeared in this poem. The poet received a toothbrush from the south, which was worth a gold coin. The handle is like a short hair clip. Its material is tortoise shell, and the silver hat refers to white horse hair. Horse's mane is soft, which is a good material for making mane.

The front and back of Liao Dynasty bone implant toothbrush in folk antique market

In addition to dental caries, teeth can also produce bad breath. For the ancients who paid attention to social etiquette, this was a shame. During the reign of Emperor Huan of the Eastern Han Dynasty, a servant named Diao Cun had bad breath, which made Emperor Huan look blue. In order to improve Diao Village's bad breath, Emperor Huan gave him something and ordered him to put the imperial court in his mouth.

At first, Diaocun thought it was poison given by the royal family, but when it came to his mouth, the air was full of fragrance and bad breath disappeared. At first, Emperor Huan gave a chicken tongue made of cloves. The price is expensive and the effect is good. Ying Shao, a scholar in the Eastern Han Dynasty, wrote in Taipingnian: "Businessmen smell fun like chicken tongues, and Huang Menlang kneels down and accepts it, so they say that businessmen take vanilla pills." Incense, as a court etiquette, usually refers to serving the king.

The child looks familiar. This is a classic version of chewing gum. This kind of chewing gum is recorded in Dream Record and Hanshu Guan Yi. Li Baiyao, a historian in Sui and Tang Dynasties, once wrote a poem "Rewarding Cui to bid farewell to the cold and welcoming the sunny sun", and Liu Yuxi, a poet in Tang Dynasty, also wrote a poem "The new goodness and the fangs are in harmony, and yesterday has passed away"

Usually, the tongue turns 360 degrees, first outside and then inside, 36 times a day. Knock your teeth once in the morning, 72 times a day. In addition, shut your mouth, rinse your mouth and wash it on the roller for 36 times. These methods are not only popular in ancient times, but also applicable in modern times. For your oral health, please try it as soon as possible.