Sothiou

If you have seen me with a pencil-shaped twig sticking out the side of my mouth, please don't think it's a drug-filled blunt. Chew sticks have been a part of my culture for centuries now, and are commonplace in areas of West and Eastern Afrika and the southern U.S. . Chew sticks, or "sothiou", as they are called in the Wolof language, are natural toothbrushes made from licorice bushes or gum trees. The frayed end of a sothiou rid teeth of unwanted plaque and food and are beneficial to gums. Also, if you chew on sothiou, you find that teeth are whitened and breath is freshened. Though many studies have presented evidence that shows that chewing sothiou is just as beneficial as a daily teeth brushing experience, I still opt to brush twice (or thrice) daily in addition to chewing sothiou. I recently learned that some toothpaste companies are beginning to use the antiseptic juices of sothiou in mass-produced toothpastes. You can get flavored sticks, but I usually opt for the natural bittersweet sticks for my oral fixation. Happy times loved ones.