History of Toothbrush - Malak Pandya 22BDC028
History of
Design- Individual Project
Everyday
object-Toothbrush
I have tried to cover the evolution of the toothbrush over the centuries like when was it invented, how was it made, how was it used etc. All the sources used to find the information from the past are mentioned below on the last page.
There was no specific reason I chose toothbrush; it just came to me when
the word everyday object struck my mind.
Tooth brush has been an integral part of daily routine across many cultures around the world from the times of antiquity to the 21st century. A variety of cultures across the world have used many different materials from certain tree twigs like "Neem and Miswak" to bird feathers and pig hair. While the essential function of the tooth brush which was to mechanically cleanse the mouth has remained the same over the ages, the 21st century is looking to embrace technology to redefine what the "tooth brush" can do. Here is the brief History of toothbrush.
·
3500 B.C.
Ancient peoples living in this era chewed on a stick to clean their teeth. They believed the best sticks to use were ones that came from aromatic trees as these sticks would clean the teeth and freshen the breath.
· 1400s – 1500s
The
first toothbrushes are made by Chinese. The bristles were made from the hair of
hogs that lived in the cold temperatures of Siberia and Northern China. The
hairs of these hogs were used as they were stiffer than those that grew on hogs
that lived in warmer temperatures.
French
dentists are the first Europeans to promote the use of toothbrushes. At the end
of the 1600s, modern-day tooth-brushing as a regular habit becomes prevalent in
Europe.
· 1780 (circa)
William
Addis of Clerkenwell, England, creates the first mass-produced toothbrush. He
had been imprisoned for involvement in a riot and while in prison created a
toothbrush. For the handle and brush head William Addis drilled small holes in
a cattle bone. For the bristles, he used hair fibres from wild pigs. He tied
the hairs in bunches and threaded them through the holes and then glued them in
place.
American,
H. N. Wadsworth is the first to patent the toothbrush. Like people
before him he used animal bone and swine hair.
American
Companies begin to mass-produce toothbrushes.
The
nylon toothbrush – the first with synthetic bristles – is introduced. People
preferred these bristles as they were softer and more hygienic than animal hair
bristles.
· 1939
The
first electric toothbrush is invented in Switzerland.
Although
Europeans began brushing their teeth daily way back in the late 1600s, people
in the United States did not engage in tooth brushing until the 1940’s! This is
when American soldiers began returning from World War II bringing their habit
of tooth brushing home with them. The practice soon spread among the general
population and the nylon toothbrush becomes very popular.
·
1960s
Electric
toothbrushes are made available for sale. Electric toothbrushes were initially
created for patients with limited motor skills and for orthodontic patients
(such as those with braces. The Broxo Electric Toothbrush was introduced in the
US by E.R. Squibb and Sons Pharmaceutica ls in 1960s.
· 1987
The
first rotary head electric toothbrush is sold.
An
annual survey of teens and adults reveals the toothbrush is the number one
invention they cannot live without – far surpassing the cell phone, computer
and car!
And here we are with variety of toothbrushes which has become the most common thing in every household of the world. The things like flexibility, aesthetics, color combinations, looks according to age groups, cartoon like for kids etc. everything matters nowadays.
medcraveonline.com
loc.gov
smileconcepts.co.uk
wikipedia.com
pinterest.com
WordPress.com
quora.com
-Malak Pandya - 22BDC028
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