The History of the Toothbrush
We all know that if we don’t brush our teeth each day, then food residue and bacteria will build up in our mouths. Brushing and flossing regularly protects your mouth from tooth decay and gum disease and keeps your pearly whites looking (and smelling) great too!
It turns out that our standards for regular brushing and oral hygiene are a fairly recent historical development. In fact, toothbrushes were not mass-produced in the U.S. until the late 1800s. The first modern toothbrush, using nylon and synthetic materials, wasn’t produced until 1938!
So what did people use to brush their teeth before 1938? Below we’ll share some more highlights of the history and evolution of the toothbrush:
Chew Sticks
Many ancient cultures used chew sticks to clean their teeth. Chew sticks were hearty twigs with one pointy end and one frayed end. The frayed ends brushed against the teeth and the pointed end was used as a toothpick.
- 3500 B.C. – Early chew sticks found in Babylonia.
- 3000 B.C. – Chew sticks discovered in an Egyptian tomb.
- 1600 B.C. – Chinese records mention the use of chew sticks made from aromatic tree twigs, which freshened breath too.
- 776 B.C. – Greeks used toothpicks to clean their teeth.
- 900 – Chinese invent the first natural bristle toothbrush attaching tiny hairs from a pig’s neck to a piece of bone or bamboo.
Early European Oral Hygiene
When the toothbrush travelled from China to Europe, Europeans substituted horsehair and even feathers for the bristles! During the 1700s many people cleaned their teeth by rubbing them with a rag, soot, and salt.
- 1780 – William Addis invents the modern toothbrush using carved cattle bone and pig bristles.
- 1840s – Brushes with three rows are designed throughout Europe using pig and badger hair.
- 1857 – H.N. Wadsworth patents a toothbrush design in the U.S.
- 1885 – The toothbrush is mass-produced for the first time in the U.S. with boar bristles, bone, and sometimes wood or ivory handles.
- 1938 – Dupont invents Nylon and releases the first modern toothbrush made out of this synthetic fiber.
- 1960 – Broxodent releases the first electric toothbrush in the U.S.
Don’t rely on an ancient chew stick to keep your teeth healthy! Call the offices of Tucson dentist Dr. John R. Carson in Tucson at (520) 514-7203 to set up a dental exam and cleaning.