What items would you carry in a basic survival kit?

[Ironlath]

The Bushman in Africa would use a twig from a non poisones plant, chew the end to form a sort of hard brush and use that to clean there teeth with. My great Grand Mother told me that they had ash on there fingers to clean there teeth with at one stage.

I had forgotten about this until the young lady brought it up. Another idea to conserve water is a small pebble under the tongue to keep the saliva glands working while on the trek in between water breaks. More thoughts?