Chewing sticks from Ghana

Using a chewing stick is a simple task, generally learned at a young age from parents and other relatives. Its been practiced since antiquity and has been used by many cultures for tooth cleansing. Even now in Ghana, most people still patronize this traditional system of oral health since its inexpensive and easily available. Some common plants used as chewing sticks in Ghana include Garcinia manni (Sokodua), Terminalia catappa (abrofonkate€), Psidium guajava (Guava), and Azadirachta indica (Neem tree)

My grandmother's favorite oral health tool was made from the twig of Garcinia manni (Sokodua), a popular plant in Southern Ghana According to two studies (Odongo et al, 2011 and Addai et al, 2010), the plant has antistreptococcal activity and contains compounds such as tannic acid and lectins which could reduce bacterial colonization, decay, and periodontal diseases

It also neutralizes acidogenic challenges to teeth hence a great potential for dental caries prevention.

Aside from this plant caring for the oral cavity, extracts from the plant according to research protect other systems of the human body For example, aqueous extract from the stem bark of the plant is found to contain nutritional antioxidants which induce apoptosis in cancer cells and suppresses degenerative diseases such as cardiovascular diseases (Hypertension, stroke), rheumatoid arthritis, and diabetes (Clegg. 2007)

Tannic acid and monn present in the plant can change plasma lipid profile and exhibit hypolipidemic activity thereby reducing high levels of cholesterol in the body. The plant has also shown antimalarial properties (Chan et al, 2011)

These scientific findings reveal that even as my grandmother was chewing her sticks. the juice from the stick may also be nourishing and healing other parts of her body and to some extent act as prophylaxis against certain infections. So then I wonder, could this habit be some of the reasons why my grandmother and our ancestors lived long compared to our generation? Could it also be that these chewing sticks were the magic wand that ensured grandma's good health?

taken from www.ghanaweb.com