The history of the modern toothbrush (2024)

FAQs

The history of the modern toothbrush? ›

In 1780 William Addis invented what we now know as the modern toothbrush. He attached pig bristles to a specially carved handle made from cow bone. Addis's design was developed further in 1844 when the first three-row brush was developed.

Often, they would use water and a rough cloth, scrubbing their teeth. Salt and charcoal were often rubbed across the teeth and then rinsed away. However, the most common way of taking care of teeth involved taking a birch twig and fraying the end, making a primitive brush. Dental powders were also used.

Today. Most modern toothbrushes are still constructed with plastic handles and nylon bristles.

In 1950, the bristles of the toothbrush were improved by using softer nylon which many people preferred. In 1939, technology improved the toothbrush and the electric toothbrush was born. However, it wasn't until 1960 when people in the United States got their hands on the first electric toothbrush, the Broxodent.

Toothbrush timeline

The chewing sticks used as early as 3500 BCE were simply thin twigs with frayed ends invented and used by ancient civilizations. The bristle toothbrush was invented in China between 1223 and 1498. These toothbrushes were made using stiff, sturdy animal hairs, generally from a hog.

Before toothbrushes, many used chew sticks, thin twigs they would gnaw on until one end frayed, creating a sort of brush. Chew sticks remain in wide use in some cultures today.

Our prehistoric ancestors had some of the same natural tooth protection we no longer have with today's modern diets. Another reason animals don't need the same oral care we do is because they have much shorter lives; chances are good their teeth will outlast the body's longevity.

In 1780 William Addis invented what we now know as the modern toothbrush. He attached pig bristles to a specially carved handle made from cow bone. Addis's design was developed further in 1844 when the first three-row brush was developed.

Y-Brush Launches The World's First Sonic Toothbrush With 10-sec Simultaneous Brushing Technology And A Typical Brush Head : the DuoBrush. February 20th, 2024. Y-Brush, a leading innovator in dental hygiene, announces the launch of its latest groundbreaking product: the DuoBrush.

1873: The first commercially produced, nice-smelling toothpaste was launched by Colgate and sold in a jar.

What is the new brushing teeth invention? ›

Description. The Samba Robotic Toothbrush allows you to brush your teeth without moving your hand. Designed to make oral care more accessible. Samba employs a revolutionary new brushing movement that combines both low and high frequency oscillations, driving 12,900 bristles along every contour of your teeth.

As early as 3500 BC, the Egyptians and Babylonians made “chewing sticks” of frayed wood fibers by chewing on one end of the piece of wood until it separated into a brush-like shape. Other ancient cultures plied strips of cloth, feathers, bones, and even porcupine quills.

Our Ancestors' Toothbrushes

The first toothbrush was likely developed around 3000 BCE. This was a frayed twig developed by the Babylonians and the Egyptians. Other sources have found that around 1600 BCE, the Chinese created sticks from aromatic trees' twigs to help freshen their breath.

The longer you use a certain toothbrush, the more bacteria will take over the brush. Worn Out Bristles. Another reason you should change your toothbrush every three months is that over time, your toothbrush bristles will become worn out.

One side of the twig was chewed while the other was used to pick out food that got stuck between teeth. This was also around the time that the ancient Egyptians developed what they considered to be the first toothbrush. It was a thin end of a reed or palm that was used to brush teeth. It was called a miswak.

Brushing teeth with the ancient Egyptians and Romans

They came up with the pioneering idea of chewing the branches of the arak tree to clean their teeth. These special branches are frayed at one end, creating a brush-like tool. They are cut off and then chewed until one end is so frayed that it resembles a brush.

Toothpaste remained rather unchanged until the 1800s, when a combination of soap, chalk, and sometimes charcoal, were used to clean the teeth. Like ancient toothpaste, these products were usually in powdered form, only becoming paste-like when combined with water and applied to the teeth.

Natural Toothcare Techniques

Native Americans cleaned their teeth by using chewsticks and chewing on fresh herbs to cleanse their teeth and gums. Chewsticks were twigs that had two uses: one end was frayed by a rock and used for brushing, while the other end was sharpened and used as a tooth pick.

Even when toothbrushes migrated to the corner store, many people preferred to rub their teeth with a rag. As late as the 1920s, “many Americans did not brush their teeth,” Swanson says.