Toothbrush Oddities and Facts

Is it just me? Or do you find toothbrushes in Odd places in your house? Everytime I use Delaney Park Dental, my family dentist of 12 years gives me weird facts about dentistry/etc to keep me occupied and in less pain. What I know these days could fill a book. So here goes..

Toothbrushes. . .

In 1938 the toothbrush was born.

From around 3000 BC, people used anything from a ‘chew stick’ – a thin twig with a frayed end, to feathers, bones and porcupine quills to clean their teeth. But the advent of technology has shown otherwise and provided specialists in the field of orthodontology, such as tmj specialist los angeles, and proven to excel even in this field.

William Addis of England created the first mass-produced toothbrush in 1780.  Jailed in 1770 for causing a riot, he decided that the method for teeth brushing of the time – rubbing a rag on one’s teeth with soot and salt – could be improved. So he took a small animal bone, drilled small holes in it, obtained some bristles from a guard, passed the bristles through the holes on the bone and glued them.

The first patent for a toothbrush was by H. N. Wadsworth on November 7th, 1857 in the USA, but mass production of the product in America didn’t begin until 1885.

The first toothbrush design had a bone handle with holes bored into it for the Siberian Boar hair bristles. Boar wasn’t an ideal material; it retained bacteria, it didn’t dry well, and the bristles would often fall out of the brush.

I recently heard About Oaktown Dental from my friends as they pay regular visits for their dental check ups. The dentists over there apparently, make it a point to enlighten their patients about all these toothbrush and teeth facts, which might seem weird to us, but if you think about it, is quite an interesting approach to oral healthcare. A little education never hurts!

We brushed our teeth with Boar bristles toothbrushes until 1938 when Dupont introduced nylon bristles. The first nylon bristle toothbrush was named Doctor West’s Miracle Toothbrush.

Bristol-Myers introduced the electric toothbrush in 1960.

American’s voted the toothbrush as the invention they can not live without, beating out cars, computer, mobile/cell phones, and microwave oven (January 2003).

Unfortunately, toothbrush is not a universal solution to all dental issues. There are some conditions that require more profound treatment. Check out https://www.westcobbdentistry.com/how-to-treat-under-bite/ for your options to treat under bite.

Nowadays the North Pointe Dental website offers advanced general and cosmetic dental procedures.

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And the bonus question. Do you know what the top-selling brand of toothpaste is?

Odd Loves Company,

Updated: August 30, 2014

6 thoughts on “Toothbrush Oddities and Facts

  1. Thanks KB. I havent even thought of life before toothbrushes. To me they have always been around. You do make us think. Now what is the most popular toothpaste? Colgate?

  2. Who knew. I never thought all that much about my toothbrush and it seldom goes missing…since I rarely use it outside my bathroom. Yes, thank you for enlightening me KbJ!

  3. I love my toothbrush. Just love my toothbrush. However, did not realize she came with such a vivid history. Boar bristles sound kind of gritty…but if its all you know…

    Colgate is my final decision.

  4. I would miss my toothbrush but until you can ride them to the grocery store or to work, I still I would put a toothbrush when it comes to living without.

    Crest or Colgate have to be the the top two toothpastes. Yes?

    Amusing. Very amusing.

  5. Why is your toothbrush ever out of the bathroom? Just wondering since my never travels around the house. Just lives day after day in the bathroom.
    I don’t love my toothbrush more than my dishwasher but it is at the very top of my list of items I would not want to live without.

    Crest. Crest is everybody’s favorite toothpaste.

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