Dear Nigerians, Dental Surgeon Says Chewing Stick Wears Out Teeth Surface

A Dental Surgeon with Bethel Dental Clinic, Abuja, has disclosed that the habitual use of chewing stick as a mouth cleansing substance can wear out the surface of the teeth and the gum.
Speaking in Abuja on Monday, Dr Isikwei Uche revealed that the use of chewing sticks was a practice some people had imbibed as a result of their socio-cultural background.

The Doctor said: “People who use chewing sticks apply lots 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 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.”