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When was the toothbrush invented?

The toothbrush is something that every one of us uses multiple times a day. Brushing our teeth is an integral part of our daily life, something that most of us do naturally without even thinking about it. Imagining a life without it seems almost impossible, as it has become such a general routine since we are little. However, how did people clean their teeth before the toothbrush was invented? Let us explore the timeline of the toothbrush, how it has evolved and how it became an essential part of our oral health routine.

The modern toothbrush as we know it today was only invented in 1938. However, this does not mean that there haven’t been any oral hygiene measures used previously.

A predecessor of the modern toothbrush was the so-called chew stick, which was a twig with one frayed end used for brushing and another end used as a toothpick. These have been used since 3500 BC. A more similar version to our current toothbrush was used in China, consisting of hog bristles attached to a handle made from bamboo or bone. This type of toothbrush then made its way to Europe, where they changed the hog hairs to softer horsehairs.

The first mass-produced toothbrush was created in 1780 after William Addis drilled small holes into a bone and tied bristles into it. He later started a business manufacturing toothbrushes, which even today makes modern toothbrushes around the world.

Innovators soon realised that animal bristles weren’t an ideal material as they retain bacteria, and they often fell out. Handles have improved to be made of bone, wood or ivory. In 1938, we came to see our current celluloid handles with nylon bristles, which made the toothbrush much more hygienic and the modern toothbrush as we know it was born.

In 1954, the electric toothbrush was invented, making way to an even more advanced innovation. By the early to mid 20th century, most people have made toothbrushing a routine practice to keep on top of their oral health, and today it is an essential part of anyone’s morning and night!

If you would like to find out more about how you can improve your oral health practices, get in touch with Central Hutt Dental. We have a hygienist on sight who can assess the health of your teeth and gums and give you some tips and tricks about how you can improve your oral health! Book in for an appointment today!

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