Toothbrushes are now commonplace in our daily routines. In fact, many of us have taken it for granted – but did you know that toothbrushes have a long history dating all the way back to 3500BC? Let’s have a look at how toothbrushes have evolved:

Early Toothbrush – Chewing Stick

The earliest toothbrushes were primitive. From around 3500BC, the Egyptians and Babylonians began to chew on sticks so that the wood fiber would form a brush that they could use to clean their teeth. This form of toothbrush is also the direct ancestor of the Miswak toothbrush (essentially a twig off the Salvadora persica tree) that is still popular in some Muslim communities today as it is endowed with natural healing and antiseptic properties. 

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First Bristled Toothbrush

Europeans, on the other hand, coped by dipping cloth or sponges in oils and salt solutions to rub and clean their teeth. By the late 15th century, the Chinese had their versions of toothbrushes as they plucked hairs from Siberian wild boars and pasted them onto animal bones or bamboo sticks. Eventually, Englishman William Addis emulated the Chinese approach and introduced the modern form of toothbrushes to Europe in 1780, using a similar combination of bones and animal hairs.

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First Patented Toothbrush

Meanwhile, entrepreneur H.N. Hadsworth helped to popularize toothbrush usage in America. In 1857, he was granted the very first toothbrush patent, and that lead to the mass production of toothbrushes from 1885.

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Plastic Toothbrush

Toothbrush handles were made with soup bones until World War I disrupted the supplies (bones were diverted for the troops instead). Thus, an alternative material had to be found – and moldable plastic celluloid rose to the challenge.

By 1938, DuPont further cemented plastic’s central role in toothbrushes by using nylon bristles on toothbrushes on a large scale. With the advantage of lower costs and improved performance, fully plastic-based toothbrushes soon took central stage and became the norm.

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Electric Toothbrush

Simultaneously, Switzerland saw the first electric toothbrush in 1939, as scientists sought to improve cleaning results by simulating brushing actions. Electric toothbrushes, however, did not take off for most of the century, even as they became much more technologically sophisticated. For example, the Oral-B Triumph 9100 can detect and monitor how thoroughly you have brushed your teeth, and alerts you to quadrants that need further brushing. However, the manual toothbrush still forms the great majority in home usage.

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Today, there are over 3000 patents on various types of toothbrushes, with continued research and innovations in toothbrush development. Regardless of its size and shape though, the various toothbrushes through time and civilizations share the same goal – to help us maintain our oral hygiene, and give us brighter sparkly smiles!