The Toothbrush

Chew sticks

Long before toothbrushes, people chewed the frayed ends of twigs to clean their teeth. Chew sticks appear in ancient records from many cultures, and some aromatic twigs, such as miswak, are still used in parts of Africa, the Middle East and Asia today.

Bristles arrive

Brushes with stiff animal-hair bristles set into bone or bamboo handles were used in China by the 1400s. Travellers brought the idea to Europe. In England around 1780, William Addis made a toothbrush from bone and bristles and went on to found a company that mass-produced toothbrushes.

Nylon and electric

Animal bristles were hard to keep clean. In 1938 the first toothbrushes with nylon bristles went on sale in the US, and nylon soon took over. Electric toothbrushes appeared in Switzerland in the 1950s and spread worldwide. Modern brushes add soft bristles, timers and pressure sensors.

Brushing well

Dental groups such as the American Dental Association recommend brushing twice a day for two minutes with fluoride toothpaste, using a soft brush, and replacing it every three to four months or sooner if the bristles fray. Cleaning between teeth once a day matters too.

How it changed everyday life

Regular brushing with fluoride toothpaste is one of the reasons people today keep their own teeth into old age far more often than in the past. Public health campaigns in the 20th century taught children to brush twice a day, and toothbrushes became cheap enough for everyone. Travel toothbrushes, children's brushes with cartoon handles and electric brushes with timers all followed. Old wooden-handled brushes are now museum pieces, while bamboo handles have made a comeback as a lower-plastic choice.

Did you know?

Toothpaste is even older than the bristle brush: ancient recipes used crushed shells, salt and herbs.

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