The Toothbrush

Everybody uses it every morning and every evening (or should use at least). Children sing songs about it and learn how to use it since a very early age.  A Very important and useful tool

which is available with different bristle forms, sizes and textures. Somebody of you know what am I talking about? No? So one more tip – This tool is commonly used in combination with toothpaste. Now all of you know that today we will talk about the toothbrush. Is it from Greece or not?

People always tried to take care about their dental hygiene. Many excavations all over the world confirm this, where tree twigs, bird feathers and chew sticks were recovered. After some time people found the way how to clean  their teeth with a tool.

First bristle toothbrushes used a hog bristle. Then the hog bristle was replaced with horse-tail hairs, pig bristle, badger hair and finally boar bristle, which was used in mass production. However animal bristle turned out to be not a good material. Bristles often  fell out, didn’t dry well and retained bacteria. That’s why the next toothbrushes were made from synthetic fibres, for example nylon. Also handles made from ivory and wood were replaced with celluloid handles.

Now we have a wide variety of toothbrushes: for children at any age, travel toothbrush, ecological toothbrush, electric toothbrush, with V-shape or wavy pattern, with polishing cup bristles, with straight handle, flexible handle or even with handle which prevent from slipping away during toothbrushing…
There are so many possibilities of taking care of our teeth. But who was the human who create the first toothbrush? Was it a Greek? Man or Woman? We will see in the preview in the next week.