You Can Thank the US Army for Americans Brushing Their Teeth Daily

Dentists recommend brushing your teeth twice a day for at least two minutes each time, preferably with a soft bristle toothbrush. Although what we should brush with and how many times a day to do it might have changed over the years, the prevailing wisdom in the United States since the turn of the 20th century is that teeth should be cleaned somehow.

Dental health professionals have long known that oral problems lead to diseases elsewhere in the body, and even tried to enlist the help of government and industry to keep Americans from missing work due to toothaches. But like so many of us today, we just didn't listen to the dentist. Oral care was not a new concept to people, and toothbrush use was widespread in much of the world -- and had been since at least the 1800s. But getting Americans to use them was a whole other matter.

It was only after World War II that returning U.S. troops, who were forced to brush their teeth as part of the U.S. Army's strict hygiene and readiness standards, brought their new habit home with them. It wasn't long before regular brushing became the norm and halitosis something to be feared.

Anyone who's served knows the importance of hygiene and sanitation in the field. Failure to clean yourself, your clothes and your mouth regularly quickly leads to one's designation as "that guy." You will soon find yourself isolated and alone, getting a visit from the first sergeant, behavioral health, or even a midnight blanket party. Simply put: You will stink, everyone will think there's something wrong with you, and ultimately they will take steps to fix you.

That's what happens now, but the America of the early 1940s was a very different place and World War II brought together soldiers from all different parts of a large country, many of which had very little in common. The Army brought together both wealthy and poor troops at a time when much of America was out of work -- and oral hygiene products were not cheap. Before the outbreak of World War II, the cheapest toothbrush and toothpaste cost around 62 cents, a little over $11 today, at a time when the average annual income was $1,368 and the unemployment rate was above 18%.

To keep working mouths healthy, big corporations would contract dentists to clean their employees' teeth for them, ensuring skilled laborers didn't miss a day of work. When those men joined the military to fight the Axis, the needs didn't change, but the methods sure did. The Army's field hygiene kit included a plastic toothbrush with nylon bristles while War Department Field Manual 21-10, Section 206, outlined the need to keep teeth clean and just how to do it. It even matched current American Dental Association guidelines:

"It is highly important to clean the teeth thoroughly twice a day, but especially just before going to bed. Brush the inside and outside surfaces away from the gums and toward the biting

surfaces. A small amount of table salt or soda on the toothbrush will do an excellent cleaning job in the absence of toothpaste or powder. It is important to remove food particles between the teeth promptly, taking care not to injure the gums. If dental floss is available, use this to keep spaces between teeth free of food thereby helping to prevent cavities from forming."

Those who didn't brush their teeth would eventually be found out, as the same field manual warrants a monthly inspection of all enlisted men. Most enlisted men seemed to think it was a check for venereal disease (the manual even says so), but it was really a search for any signs of disease, including their teeth and mouth.

Whether it was the repeated lessons, expediency in the field or those old Army training films working the way they were supposed to, something stuck with the troops. The idea that regular brushing was an essential part of everyday health became the norm, and the habit was soon passed onto future generations.

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