Today, the toothbrush is a very appreciated, important aspect of oral hygiene and the health of your smile. But how did the toothbrush come to be? Before the toothbrush, how did people clean their teeth? Continue reading to explore the origins of the toothbrush with Dr. Laurin Cardwell and our team.
Tools for cleaning the teeth date back to about 3500 BC. The Babylonians and the Egyptians chewed on twigs with frayed ends to clean their teeth. The Chinese began using aromatic chew sticks to freshen their breath around 1600 BC.
In 1498 in China, the bristle toothbrush was invented. Coarse, stiff hairs were taken from the back of a hog’s neck and attached to a handle made of either bone or bamboo. The bristle toothbrush was brought to Europe, where it was adapted. Many Europeans preferred softer bristles, so horsehairs or feathers were used instead of hog’s hairs.
Soon after nylon was invented by Du Pont, the modern toothbrush was developed in 1938 by Dupont de Nemours. By the 1950s, softer nylon bristles were being used, as many people preferred those. The first electronic toothbrush was made in 1939.
We invite you to contact Cardwell Family Dentistry at 828-631-3567 today to learn more about toothbrushes and to set up an appointment with our dentist in Sylva, North Carolina.