History of Design of a Toothbrush (Keya Mehta - 22BDC015)
The reason behind choosing a toothbrush is simply because I was running late that morning, washing my hands after breakfast and a toothbrush was the first thing I saw.
The start of use of products for oral hygiene goes back a long time. There were many different oral hygiene practices in use before the idea of a "toothbrush" came into existence. Tree twigs, bird feathers, animal bones, and porcupine quills turned up in some excavations proved this.
It all started with Chew Sticks made from miswak, neem, etc. People in the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa and the Indian subcontinent traditionally cleaned their teeth with the said chew sticks. Europeans cleaned their teeth with rags rolled in salt or soot.
https://medcraveonline.com/JDHODT/images/JDHODT-02-00055-g002.png
The start of use of products for oral hygiene goes back a long time. There were many different oral hygiene practices in use before the idea of a "toothbrush" came into existence. Tree twigs, bird feathers, animal bones, and porcupine quills turned up in some excavations proved this.
It all started with Chew Sticks made from miswak, neem, etc. People in the Arabian Peninsula, North Africa and the Indian subcontinent traditionally cleaned their teeth with the said chew sticks. Europeans cleaned their teeth with rags rolled in salt or soot.
https://medcraveonline.com/JDHODT/images/JDHODT-02-00055-g002.png
Neem stick
Miswak
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/67/Bunches_of_teeth_cleaning_twigs.jpg/330px-Bunches_of_teeth_cleaning_twigs.jpg
The first bristle toothbrush resembling the modern one was found in China. It consisted of hog bristles, attached to a handle manufactured from bamboo or bone, forming a toothbrush. In the late 1700s, Englishman William Addis was the first to sell toothbrushes on a large scale. He got the idea after making a toothbrush from bone and animal bristles while in prison.
https://museumofeverydaylife.org/wp-content/uploads/2015-05-02-10.26.48.jpg
Early 19th century bone toothbrushes dug out of a garbage dump in Scotland.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/%27Indexo%27_finger_toothbrush%2C_New_York%2C_United_States%2C_1901-19_Wellcome_L0058113.jpg/330px-%27Indexo%27_finger_toothbrush%2C_New_York%2C_United_States%2C_1901-19_Wellcome_L0058113.jpg
During the 1900s, celluloid gradually replaced bone handles, synthetic fibers, like nylon, replaced natural animal bristles, and electric toothbrushes were invented.
https://ourstory.jnj.com/sites/default/files/REACH%20Toothbrush_0.png
The first toothbrush with curved bristles was the Collis Curve, created in 1978 by Dr. George C. Collis. The curved bristles safely reach between the teeth and into the sulcular regions by contouring to the shape of the teeth.
The increased consumer demand wasn't noted until after the return of American soldiers from World War I, regardless of the mass production of toothbrushes in the United States by the 1900’s. The widespread adoption of European standards of oral hygiene by American soldiers was brought home. Throughout the twentieth century, traditional toothbrushes took on incremental advancement
https://medcraveonline.com/JDHODT/images/JDHODT-02-00055-g003.png
https://museumofeverydaylife.org/wp-content/uploads/2015-05-02-10.26.48.jpg
Early 19th century bone toothbrushes dug out of a garbage dump in Scotland.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/34/%27Indexo%27_finger_toothbrush%2C_New_York%2C_United_States%2C_1901-19_Wellcome_L0058113.jpg/330px-%27Indexo%27_finger_toothbrush%2C_New_York%2C_United_States%2C_1901-19_Wellcome_L0058113.jpg
https://ourstory.jnj.com/sites/default/files/REACH%20Toothbrush_0.png
The increased consumer demand wasn't noted until after the return of American soldiers from World War I, regardless of the mass production of toothbrushes in the United States by the 1900’s. The widespread adoption of European standards of oral hygiene by American soldiers was brought home. Throughout the twentieth century, traditional toothbrushes took on incremental advancement
https://medcraveonline.com/JDHODT/images/JDHODT-02-00055-g003.png
Prophylactic Toothbrush. Pro-phy-lac-tic Brush Co. Wall Street Journal, September 3, 1924, pg. 3.
Some normal bristle toothbrushes of current times look like this:
https://in.pinterest.com/pin/1116963145057476565/?mt=login&nic_v3=1a2NdNRkG
The latest, so to say, versions of a toothbrush are the electric toothbrushes and the interdental brushes.
The electrical brushes tend to be more costly and damaging to the environment compared to the manual toothbrushes and most studies report performances equivalent to those of manual brushings, possibly with a decrease in plaque and gingivitis.
https://in.pinterest.com/pin/1116963145057476565/?mt=login&nic_v3=1a2NdNRkG
My toothbrush
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/aa/So_Many_Choices_%2811693539025%29.jpg/330px-So_Many_Choices_%2811693539025%29.jpg
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/TePe_Interdental_Brushes_original.jpg/330px-TePe_Interdental_Brushes_original.jpg
The interdental brushes are used for cleaning between teeth and between the wires of dental braces and the teeth. Its use along with normal manual brushing has been shown to reduce both the amount of plaque and the incidence of gingivitis when compared to tooth brushing alone.
There are chewable brushes manufactured, which are basically miniature plastic molded toothbrushes which can be placed inside the mouth. They're useful for travelers. They come in flavors and are required to be disposed of after one use.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/85/Chewabletoothbrush.jpg/330px-Chewabletoothbrush.jpg
There are chewable brushes manufactured, which are basically miniature plastic molded toothbrushes which can be placed inside the mouth. They're useful for travelers. They come in flavors and are required to be disposed of after one use.
Then there are multiple creative editions of a toothbrush, like a musical toothbrush, one molded like a car, etc. to make the daily, mundane activity of brushing one's teeth more interesting.
Moral of the story? Keep brushing people, keep that sweet mouth of yours clean and fresh!
sources:
https://theconversation.com/how-did-people-clean-their-teeth-in-the-olden-days-119588
https://smileconcepts.co.uk/toothbrush-history/#:~:text=In%201780%20William%20Addis%20invented,three%2Drow%20brush%20was%20developed.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toothbrush
https://ourstory.jnj.com/reach-toothbrush
https://medcraveonline.com/JDHODT/the-evolution-of-a-tooth-brush-from-antiquity-to-present--a-mini-review.html
https://museumofeverydaylife.org/exhibitions-collections/previous-exhibitions/toothbrush-from-twig-to-bristle-in-all-its-expedient-beauty/a-visual-history-of-the-toothbrush
Moral of the story? Keep brushing people, keep that sweet mouth of yours clean and fresh!
sources:
https://theconversation.com/how-did-people-clean-their-teeth-in-the-olden-days-119588
https://smileconcepts.co.uk/toothbrush-history/#:~:text=In%201780%20William%20Addis%20invented,three%2Drow%20brush%20was%20developed.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toothbrush
https://ourstory.jnj.com/reach-toothbrush
https://medcraveonline.com/JDHODT/the-evolution-of-a-tooth-brush-from-antiquity-to-present--a-mini-review.html
https://museumofeverydaylife.org/exhibitions-collections/previous-exhibitions/toothbrush-from-twig-to-bristle-in-all-its-expedient-beauty/a-visual-history-of-the-toothbrush
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