Does Anyone Still Need Chewing Sticks?

The practice of chewing different parts of plants for oral hygiene and medicinal properties has a long history from most parts of the world. Using chewing sticks is probably the earliest form of oral hygiene in the world. The art of using chewing sticks is not as popular as before but still exists till now. Their usage waned due to the fact that using toothpaste and brush is a faster and more convenient means of carrying out oral hygiene.

Chewing sticks may also be called teeth cleaning twigs or sticks. They are simply pencil-sized sticks that are made from parts of plants or tree species. Roots, stems, twigs and branches are chewed from one end until the fibers become frayed and form a brush. This is the part that is used for oral hygiene.

Apart from using them for dental hygiene, different parts of plants are chewed for various medicinal purposes because plants have active components or phytonutrients with therapeutic abilities.

The selection for the parts that are used is usually on:

• Hardness
• Bitterness
• Flavour
• Foaminess
• Their effect on teeth and gum
• The types of active components they carry
• The purpose they are to be used for.

Apart from dental health, chewing sticks are also used;

• To cure illnesses and health issues.
• To improve health
• To treat infections
• To fight plague
• As bitter tonics
• As digestive aids
• To treat dysentery
• To enhance male sexual performance
• To increase salivation
• To treat sore throat and gum infections

The other advantages of chewing sticks are: 

• They contain no chemicals or additives
• They are cheap or free

Chewing sticks are usually called pako or orin in Yoruba,

Some plants whose parts are commonly used as chewing sticks that are used in Nigeria are:

1. Vernonia amygdalina called ewuro in Yoruba, onugbu in Igbo and in Hausa. The sticks are called pako ewuro in Yoruba.
2. Azadirachta indica called neem in English, dogonyaro in Yoruba and Hausa.
3. Cassia sieberiana called West African laburnum in English, aridan toro in Yoruba and banje in Hausa.
4. Citrus aurantifolia called lime in English, osan wewe in Yoruba
5. Citrus sinensis called orange in English, osan in Yoruba
6. Massularia acuminata called orin Ijebu in Yoruba.
7. Vitex doniana called African black plum in English and ori in Yoruba
8. Fagara zynthoxyloides called Fagara or Senegal prickly ash or atar root in English. The root sticks are called orin-ata in Yoruba.
9. Acacia nilotica called gum Arabic tree or Egyptian thorn in English, baani or booni in Yoruba and bagaruwa in Hausa.
10. Irvingia gabonnesis called African mango in English, oro in Yoruba and ogbono in Igbo.
11. Sarcorephalus latiola called egbesi or gberesi in Yoruba
12. Olax subcorpidica called ifon or ifan n Yoruba
13. Anogeissus leiocapa called African birch in English and ayin in Yoruba. The sticks are called orin ayin in Yoruba.
14. Anacardium occidentale called cashew in English and kaju in Yoruba,
15. Distemonanthus benthamianus called Nigerian satinwood in English and ayan in Yoruba. The sticks are called orin-ayan.
16. Gongronema latifolium called utazi in Igbo and madunmaro in Yoruba.
17. Prosopis Africana called African mesquite or iron tree in English, kiriya in Hausa, ubwo in Igbo and sanchi in Nupe.

Other names for chewing sticks in the world:

• Sothiou in Senegal
• Miswak in Middle East, North Africa and ASia
• Kayu sugi in Malaysia
• Mswaki  in Swahili

Chewing sticks are more than brushes because they have medicinal properties. They are the original mouth cleaners and sometimes healers. So what do you think? Let us know your opinion below with other comments and questions. Follow on Twitter @heal2bwell.