All of you know that it is so important to keep your pearly whites clean. What helps you the most in doing so? Isn’t it your toothbrush? But, have you ever thought how people cleaned their teeth in earlier times? Or did they bother to clean their teeth at all?

Let us find out when the toothbrushes were invented.

Humans did bother to clean their teeth as they had realized the importance of clean teeth. So the earliest toothbrushes called chew brushes were twigs with fuzzy ends. Easy Breezy! Just pull out a fresh twig and start rubbing it against your choppers and keep it clean.

There is evidence something resembling a modern toothbrush existed in China in the 15th century. The bristles were hog’s hair, and the handle made of bamboo or bone.

Almost two hundred years ago a man named William Addis of Clerkenwald, England, mass produced the toothbrushes. They all used boar bristles until nylon was discovered in 1938. After that, all the toothbrushes have nylon bristles. Phew! Thank God nylon was invented otherwise we would still be using boar bristles ;)

Fifty years ago electric brushes were invented. These brushes are good at cleaning your teeth. The battery powered brushes do your job for you. Now brushes come in different shapes and sizes for children and adults.

Take a chew stick in one hand and an electric brush in the other hand. There is an enormous difference. Can you imagine the kind of brushes of the future? Maybe toothbrushes with sensors that can detect your cavities?