Dr. Isikwei Uche, a Dental Surgeon with Bethel Dental Clinic, Abuja has said that frequent use of chewing stick to clean the mouth can wear out the surface of the teeth and gums.
In an interview with News Agency of Nigeria, he said “People who use chewing sticks apply lot of pressure on the teeth so as to clean well, but this practice over a period of time wears away the surface of the teeth and the gum.
“When you apply pressure, you bruise the gum, wear the gum and it causes gum recession.
“Chewing stick cannot be used to clean the inner part of the teeth because it is just straight and does not have the ability to reach the inner parts of the mouth.”
He further explained that chewing stick lack the mint that has already been provided in toothpastes.
He said: “The use of chewing sticks does not have any health issues, but the issue is that it is poor in management of the oral environment.
“For some people that use it, it is easy to carry about, it is readily available, it is less expensive to purchase.
“When using chewing sticks, it helps the user to exercise the jaw and can as well induce the production of saliva in the mouth.
“Some chewing sticks that are bitter have components like chloride, sodium, which also functions in toothpastes as plague indicators, and can prevent holes in the teeth.”