From Reuters: African twig brushes offer all-day dental care.
Brush your teeth every day, dentists say. In Africa, that can mean keeping your toothbrush in your mouth all day long.
Across the continent south of the Sahara, many people go about their daily business with a small stick or twig protruding from their mouth, which they chew or use to scrub their teeth.
Cut from wild trees and shrubs in the bush, this is the African toothbrush. Its users swear it is much more natural, effective — and cheaper — than the prettily packaged but pricey dental products on sale in pharmacies and supermarkets. [continue]
In the American South it is common to plant “toothbrush bush” (I have NO idea what the botanical name is!) by the porch. You snap off a twig, fray it between your fingers, and have at it! My parents still have one at the corner of the patio and the driveway, though more for sentimental than hygienic purposes. They do have nice big flowers, though – sort of like small hibiscus.
Wow, Michael! That’s pretty cool. I wish we had an equivalent here, just because I like stuff like that.