Care of Gingivitis (Akokoro)

The use of chewing sticks is still being practised in some parts of the world such as Africa, South Asia, an isolated area in America and the Southern United States, owing to some unique characteristics such as foaminess, hardness and bitterness.

Some of these chewing sticks have been shown to possess varying degrees of antimicrobial activity against germs that cause dental diseases. This indicates, therefore, that the chewing sticks, in addition to providing mechanical stimulation of the gums, also destroy microbes, a feature which is absent in the common toothpaste and brush method. This advantage of chewing sticks over conventional toothpaste and brush could explain why many Africans have strong teeth.

Some African chewing sticks have also been reported to contain fluoride ions, silicon, tannic acid, sodium bicarbonate and other natural plaque-inhibiting substances that can reduce bacterial colonisation and plaque formation.