Brushing Your Teeth in Nature - Personal Hygiene
I have sometimes noticed that people don’t brush their teeth when they are out in nature. Whether the toothbrush was forgotten at home or simply left behind, there is no valid excuse for neglecting oral hygiene.
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You Can Improvise a Toothbrush
Humans have known about tooth brushing since 3000 BC, but the toothbrush with nylon bristles as we know it today only came into existence in 1938.
In nature, you have to go back in time and use what worked back then, namely a stick!
Personally, I have good experience with thin sticks from birch trees, since the wood is non-toxic and the sap can actually be drunk (and is even healthy and tastes good).
How to Do It
Remove the bark and then chew the stick until it softens. The wood fibers should be gently softened with your teeth and saliva. This is to avoid splinters that can get into your gums, tongue, or cheek. It takes some time and you need to be patient. Be prepared to spit out quite a few wood splinters at first. After a while, the "brush" stops shedding splinters and you can start using it. At first, I usually brush my teeth like painting a board. When painting, you also pull the brush along the board—you don’t push it. This helps minimize the chance of splinters getting stuck. After some time, I can start scrubbing a bit more with it, as if it were a regular toothbrush.
Always make sure to rinse your mouth thoroughly afterward.
Disclaimer
Improvised toothbrushes should only be used in emergencies and you try the technique at your own risk. It is not without risk and you need good situational awareness. All tips and tricks given here are solely personal thoughts, considerations, and personally tested techniques. Just because it works well for me doesn’t mean it will for you. As the Americans say, "Don't try this at home."
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