The toothbrush is a product that is an integral part of our everyday lives, but have you ever thought about who invented it and how the idea was born? Hutt Dental Hub explores the history of the toothbrush and how it came to be an essential part of our oral health routine.
The modern toothbrush was invented by William Addis, who was the first inventor to mass-produce the product in 1780. He came up with the idea while he was in prison for causing a riot. He decided that the textile and salt they used to clean the teeth in England wasn’t effective enough, and there could be a way to improve it. Addis saved a small bone from one of his prison meals and drilled some holes in it. He obtained some bristles from one of the prison guards and glued them into the bone, creating the modern toothbrush as we know it today.
Once the innovator got out of prison, he started a business manufacturing toothbrushes and quickly became wealthy. The business remained in the family for quite some time, and under the name Wisdom Toothbrushes, they still manufacture approximately 70 million toothbrushes today in the UK.
Dupont de Nemours invented the first nylon toothbrush in 1938 after animal bristle brushes were deemed unhygienic and too hard on the mouth. This was the first toothbrush that is the most similar to today’s products. By the early 21st century, the toothbrush as we know it today was widely used and a staple in many households.
With the toothbrush having such an interesting and innovative history, it is no wonder that it has become such a staple part of our everyday oral hygiene routine. Today, it would be difficult to imagine a time without the trusted product that we are so used to, and the fact that we can thank that for someone who was in prison might be surprising to some of us.
If you would like to learn more about how to best care for your oral health, get in touch with Hutt Dental Hub. We can help you select an ideal toothbrush that will provide you with the most significant benefits and give you some tips and tricks for improving your oral health routine. Book in for a hygienist appointment at our dental practice today!
