Dental hygiene has been one of the most talked-about topics today in the medical field. We must understand the history of dental hygiene so that we can appreciate the advancements it has made over the years. Did you know that the history of dental hygiene started as early as 2600 BC?
Oral Hygiene Advancements
As early as 2600 BC, there was evidence of the presence of oral hygiene specialists in Egypt, according to the American Dental Association. In Greece, a philosopher called Aristotle and a physician named Hippocrates wrote on several aspects of oral health between 500 BC and 300 BC. These included gum disease, tooth decay, and tooth extraction.
In around 700 AD, a Chinese article noted the application of a silver paste as an amalgam for maintaining oral hygiene. A surgeon from France authored a book in 1723 known as The Surgeon Dentist.
The publication captured a lot of oral health aspects, which are now considered the foundation of present-day dentistry. These aspects include techniques for oral surgery, dentures construction, and oral anatomy. In the 1700s, there was an innovation of many items that made oral hygiene more comfortable.
In 1746, there was a white enamel’s recommendation on the crowns of gold teeth, made by Frenchman Mouton. 1n 1790, as a part of a strategy for oral health, the first known patient was given porcelain teeth.
In 1832, Charles Goodyear came up with vulcanized rubber, which acts as a foundation on false teeth today. In 1844, Horace Wells discovered a great discovery when he used nitrous oxide as anesthesia, which, today, is still being used.
Historic Concepts Which Help In Modern Day Dental Hygiene
Tube toothpaste is one of the historical happenings that still help people maintain their oral health and hygiene quickly and cheaply. The tube toothpaste became popularly known and readily available in the 1800s, as records from the American Dental Association show.
The now commonly known fluoride toothpaste first hit the markets in the 1950s. 1n 1938, the first toothbrush using nylon bristles hit the market, while an electric toothbrush developed in Switzerland was seen in the United States in 1960 for the first time.
Another concept of oral hygiene developed in the past and is still known and used today is aesthetic teeth improvement. Information from the American Dental Association shows that the first sale of at-home teeth whitening products in the United States was in 1989. In the 1990s, tooth-colored crowns and fillings were introduced, and cosmetic dentistry became common.
First Approved Dental Hygienist
Irene Newman became the number one approved dental hygienist in 1917. After three years, there were a total of 6 additional states which also approved dental hygienists. The American Dental Hygienist Association (ADHA), was founded in 1923 and had only 46 people. By 1952, all states in the United States had approved Dental practitioners.
As more and more dental hygienists came up, the ADHA came up with requirements for people who wanted admission into the program. In 1935, they stated that for licensure, a high school diploma was a must. By 1940, to be licensed as a dental hygienist, applicants needed to have a two-year course.
North View Dental
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