Dental hygiene is an irreplaceable contributor to oral health. Proper dental hygiene includes brushing your teeth twice a day and flossing once a day. Teeth care dates back for thousands of years. However, early dental care tools were very different from what we use today. Let’s explore the history of the toothbrush together.
Tools for brushing the teeth were around as early as 3500 to 3000 BC. The Egyptians and Babylonians made brushes by fraying the end of a twig. In Egypt, ancient tombs have been found that contain toothsticks alongside their owners. The Chinese developed chewing sticks from aromatic tree twigs around 1600 BC.
The bristle toothbrush, which is similar to what we use today, was invented in China in 1498. These toothbrushes were made from bone or bamboo with the course hairs from a hog’s neck attached. In England in 1780, William Addis made the first mass-produced toothbrush. H.N. Wadsworth was the first American to patent a toothbrush (1857). Boar bristles were used until 1938, when nylon bristles were invented. The first electric toothbrush was invented in 1938. The use of the toothbrush was not common in the United States until soldiers came home from WWII and brought the habit with them. Tooth brushing was part of the daily dental hygiene regimen required of the army. In 1960, the Broxodent became the first electric toothbrush in the United States.
We invite you to contact our office today to schedule an appointment with our dentist in Hutchinson, KS. Dr. Susan Evans and our team are excited to serve you and your smile!