/oss/taxonomy/term/142/all en /oss/article/student-contributors-health-and-nutrition-history/are-electric-or-manual-toothbrushes-better <p>The first ever toothbrush design, used by ancient Babylonians and Egyptians, dates back to 3500 BC. The primitive toothbrush, known as a “chew stick”, was a thin twig with a frayed end. The modern toothbrush was designed by William Addis in England and was the first mass-produced toothbrush, entering the market in 1780. Its handle was carved from cattle bone and the bristles were made from pig’s hair. Quite the luxury upgrade from twigs, wouldn’t you say? Fast forward to the 1960s, when the electric toothbrush was introduced.</p> Fri, 07 Jun 2024 16:00:00 +0000 Hosna Akhgary 9972 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know-health/why-does-orange-taste-so-horrible-after-brushing-my-teeth <p>If you have ever taken a good look at the back of a tube of toothpaste during those long two minutes of recommended brushing time, you may have noticed sodium laureth sulfate (SLES) and sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) listed as ingredients. Both of these are usually listed as a duo and are responsible for that bitter yucky taste that comes about when biting an orange after tooth brushing. Oranges contain a fair bit of citric acid, which has both a bitter and sour taste. For some reason, these compounds enhance the bitter taste and leaves the sour taste unaffected.</p> Thu, 06 Jun 2019 16:00:00 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 7788 at /oss /oss/article/general-science/plant-based-toothbrush-really <p>Compostable. Recyclable. Sustainable. Admirable concepts with interesting scientific connections. But there is often a lot of misleading marketing hype. Consider “Brush with Bamboo,” marketed as a “plant-based toothbrush.” First we are told on the box that some 2 billion plastic tooth brushes end up in oceans and landfills every year. This is not good but compared with the 13 million tons of plastic that end up in the oceans every year, well, it is just a drop in the ocean. Still, every bit that doesn’t end up there is helpful. </p> Fri, 20 Jan 2017 19:40:59 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1406 at /oss