Most people don't really think about where toothbrushes came from. We have them at our fingertips and use them everyday.
We even throw them away after 3-6 months and get new ones that will help keep our teeth clean. A toothbrush may seem like an obvious tool to fight tooth decay and bad breath, but the modern toothbrush actually has a long history, beginning as a chewing stick.
The Babylonians may have been among the first people to record using a chew stick to clean their teeth. Over time, other cultures developed their own styles and materials for precursors to modern toothbrushes.
Many used twigs from aromatic trees to both clean teeth and freshen breath at the same time. Indians used neem tree or banyantree twigs, while Muslims used Arak tree roots or twigs.
Others used feathers, animal bones, quills and even corncobs as primitive tooth-cleaning implements. By 1600 BC, the Chinese had developed a double-ended chewing stick.
Users chewed one end until it because soft and brushlike, with the splayed wooden fibers acting like today's bristles. They kept the other end hard and pointy to clean between teeth.
Between 1500 AD and 1600 AD is often quoted as the date when the true bristled toothbrush originated in China. The Chinese used bristles from the necks of pigs and attached them to bone or bamboo handles.
That may be when this invention became more widespread. A Japanese Zen master who visited China in 1223 reported seeing some monks cleaning their teeth with a brush made from horse tail hairs attached to a handle made of ox bone. Either way, the Chinese seem to have invented the idea of attaching bristles to a handle.
Europeans visiting China brought back this new invention. By the late 1700s, William Addis was manufacturing bristled toothbrushes in England.
While the best toothbrushes had their handles carved out of cattle bones, natural bristles still came from hogs - preferably swine from colder countries that presumably produced thicker, longer-lasting bristles.
It didn't take long for bristled brushes to be in general use in Europe. From there, they spread to North America.
By the mid 1850s, H.N. Wadsworth received the first American toothbrush patent. Within ten years, other manufacturers were improving on the design, using three rows of bristles with serrated edges for a better cleaning action.
By 1885, toothbrushes were being mass produced in the United States. Synthetic nylon bristles replaced natural swine bristles around 1938.
Unlike pig bristles, nylon bristles dried out completely between brushings. Without the moisture, nylon bristles were more resistant to bacteria growth.
But for many people, toothbrushes remained more of a luxury than an everyday device. Soldiers coming back after the Second World War made daily brushing the norm.
From chewing sticks to pig's bristles, toothbrushes have gone hi-tech. Today's manual toothbrushes come in an array of colors, handle shapes and bristle configurations that are better at getting between teeth and removing more plaque.
Some even come with tongue scrapers. And electric toothbrushes, with their spinning, oscillating or sonic heads, offer another way to clean teeth and gums.
How much do people like their toothbrushes? In a January 2003 poll, Americans were asked to name the one invention they couldn't live without. The toothbrush beat out cell phones, microwaves, cars and computers.
The following includes tips on how to keep your toothbrush clean and dry to extend the life of the brush, and avoid bacteria.
After each use, rinse the toothbrush with tap water and shake it hard several times to dislodge any leftover toothpaste and debris from the mouth that is caught in the bristles.
Toothpaste and food debris are tempting targets for the bacteria that live in mouths. Depriving these bacteria of at least one food source helps keep their numbers down.
Store toothbrushes in an upright position to allow them to air dry naturally. If storing more than one toothbrush in a single holder, keep the brushes separated so they don't cross-contaminate each other and to allow for faster air drying.
Using a standard toothbrush holder with several slots keep the brushes upright and separated and stop family members from passing colds and flu back and forth through their toothbrushes.
Don't store toothbrushes in closed containers. A closed container keeps moisture in, making the toothbrush more susceptible to microorganisms such as germs, bacteria and fungus that flourish in moist environments.
If travelling, try to let the toothbrush air dry before placing it in a travel container.
Author Resource:-
Jack R. Landry has authored many articles relating to general and cosmetic dentistry. He recommends Bakersfield, CA Cosmetic Dentist.
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