How Toothbrushes Were Invented

In the modern world good hygiene is important to look good and feel good

“Toothbrush with Toothpaste” by wwarby is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

By: Kian Abris, Journalist

Introduction

In the modern world, good hygiene is important to look good and feel good. One of the most famous items for fantastic hygiene is the toothbrush,but do you ever wonder how it was made? Was it made by accident? Was it made for a different use? In this article, I’m going to explain the origin of how the toothbrush was made.

“Toothbrush with Toothpaste” by wwarby is licensed under CC BY 2.0.

Toothbrush’s origin

Back in the old days, people would clean their teeth with a different tool. The earliest tool to clean your teeth is with chew sticks from 3.500 BC. Another tool to clean your teeth back then was toothpicks. The Romans used it and Africans still clean their teeth with tooth pics. But when did toothbrushes come along? It was first invented in China in the 7th century. The toothbrush was made from pig’s hair for the bristles. For the handle, it was made out of bamboo or bone. To attach the bristles to the handle, you needed to poke tiny holes. Also, the toothbrush made its way to Europe, but the English found the pig hairs to be too rough, so they used water and a rag to clean their teeth. However, one man named William Addis brought back the toothbrush in 1770. He got a bone left from his meal and made little holes in it. Then he inserted some pig bristles in the holes. Then he created the modern-looking toothbrush. Fast forward to the 18th century, he made and sold toothbrushes. The reason he started doing this was that people would get cavities and their teeth would decay. Addis’ business grew quickly, and he made a lot of cash. When Addis died, his son took after the business and to this day they are still in production, making toothbrushes. The name of this incredible business is called ‘Wisdom Toothbrushes’.