Licorice root e.g. to use as a toothbrush replacement
Some time ago I saw a documentary about licorice. In this the use of licorice root as a medicinal plant and also as a "toothbrush" was mentioned. I was scrambled and inquired about it in more detail.
In some African countries, and the Arab Emirates, licorice root, or alternatively miswak, has been and is being used for dental care. The branch is carefully chewed at one end until it frayed and a kind of brush emerges. With it you can brush your teeth and also reach less accessible places in the mouth.
The tart taste takes some getting used to, at first very strong, but quickly fading, bitter and sweet at the same time. Besides, it's strange to overcome chewing on dry wood. But as soon as the bark and fibers do not peel off so much and the taste gets a little weaker, it becomes much more pleasant and a real (and environmentally friendly as well as healthy!) Alternative to normal brushing.
A stick lasts a few days, because you can easily cut off the top if it is too frayed for brushing, and can chew the wood again. I've been using it this way for about 3 weeks and I'm thrilled. My mouth feels really clean, I like to reach for my new toothbrush and brush my teeth between driving while driving, on the PC or at work. I am often looking forward to it.
Licorice root are organic products, they are not grown in the usual sense and not fertilized. You save on the plastic toothbrushes and the chemistry of toothpaste.
In addition, the root is considered a medicinal plant. Among other things, it helps with diseases of the upper respiratory tract. It is not for nothing that licorice was formerly only available as cough drops in the pharmacy. Furthermore, it is good for gastrointestinal problems. (Napoleon is said to have had against his stomach ulcer always some pieces of licorice root for chewing.)
Crushed you can brew a tea of it. (Attention, raising your blood pressure.) Pregnant women and people with high blood pressure should do without it!) Some people used it to quit smoking or as a substitute for the sweets in between.
You can buy the liquorice root ready cut cheap on the internet (for example, Amazon). (I paid about 12 euros for 500 g, which corresponds to about 30-50 root pieces of 15 cm each).
If someone has tried it or already has experience with it, please leave a comment there. I'm curious what you're saying.
