The first toothbrush was invented in China in 1000 A.D. It was an ivory-handled toothbrush with bristles made from a horse's mane. Toothbrushes became popular in the 19th century among the Victorian affluent. Mass marketing and the advent of nylon bristles in the 20th century made toothbrushes inexpensive and available to everyone.
With all of the detrimental effects of smoking, did you know that it also can lead to premature tooth loss?
Numerous studies have shown that long-term tobacco use (cigarettes and chew) can not only cause periodontal (gum) disease, cause gums to recede and bone tissue to gradually disintegrate.
People who have dental implants are strongly discouraged from smoking, because smoking can cause acute tissue inflammation near the place where the implant is anchored to the jaw, which can cause the implant to eventually fail. This condition is called “peri-implantitis.”
