History of the Toothbrush

Archeologists have recently discovered ancient twigs that have frayed and chewed edges. This has indicated to them that even though they were quite primitive, even our ancient ancestors recognized the need to care for their teeth.

History of the Toothbrush

The very first bristled toothbrushes originated from China around the year 1000. These toothbrushes consisted of crude tools fashioned together, with ivory handles and tufts of horsehair for the bristles. Around 500 years late, the Chinese created toothbrush handles made of bone or bamboo and bristles from the back of a boar’s neck. This means that the Chinese were creating versions of the modern toothbrush long before the rest of the world. 

The modern toothbrush as we know it was introduced in the year 1938 by a Frenchman named Dupont de Nemours. Until this point, the best option for toothbrushes was boar’s hair, but this new brush introduced nylon bristles. The first innovative toothbrush was called “Dr. West’s Miracle Toothbrush!”

Since the 1930’s, our toothbrushes have come a long way. These days toothbrushes have smooth, soft-ended, and flexible nylon bristles in a variety of configurations. The modern toothbrush has bristles at certain angles to help reach under the gum tissue and between the teeth. We also have the electric toothbrushes and even toothbrushes with timers and LCD screens! Toothbrushes are offered with a variety of television characters, superheroes, and princesses to make them more marketable to children.

No matter what kind of modern-day toothbrush you’re using, the basic oral hygiene principles still apply. Make sure you’re brushing at least twice a day for two minutes at a time, flossing daily, and visiting your general dentist every six months for a dental cleaning and exam.