Toothbrush Trivia, from Dr. Jordan Higham

It isn’t any big news to dentist Dr. Jordan Higham that toothbrushing dates back thousands of years. In fact, the first “toothbrush” was created around 3000BC! Ancient civilizations used a thin twig with a frayed edge to rub against their teeth for cleaning.

The first toothbrush with bristles – similar to today’s toothbrushes – was invented in 1498 in China. Brushes were made out of bone or bamboo with bristles made from the hairs on the back of a hog’s neck.

It wasn’t until 1938 that the first nylon bristle toothbrush was introduced, and people began practicing good oral hygiene.

Here are some other interesting facts about your toothbrush, toothpaste, and floss:

• Most people are said to use blue toothbrushes over any other color
• If you don’t floss, you are only cleaning 65% of your tooth surfaces
• The first toothpaste was used in 500 BC in China and India
• On average, children smile about 400 times per day
• Replace your toothbrush every two months, when bristles appear worn, or after recovering from a cold or flu
• The first known toothpaste was used in 1780, Crest was introduced in the US in 1955 and Colgate in 1873