Toothbrush Trivia

How often do you use your toothbrush? Hopefully it’s at least two times a day. You may have looked at it so many times, though, that you hardly even think about it anymore. They are an object that has been in your life, probably since you can remember. You may even think you know all there is about your toothbrush, but today we’d like to give you some fun trivia facts about them.

The toothbrush may be 5,000 years old. It may have been in different forms, but in some ancient civilizations, people used a “chew stick,” which was a thin twig with a frayed end, to help them remove food that was stuck in their teeth.

The first mass-produced toothbrush was created in prison. In 1770, William Addis was jailed for starting a riot when he observed the other prisoners cleaning their teeth with a rag covered in soot or salt. He saved an animal bone from dinner, got bristles from a guard, bored tiny holes, inserted the bristles and sealed them with glue. Upon his release, he refined his prototype and started a company.

There isn’t a set order for brushing and flossing. It may not really matter to your teeth which you do first, so long as you are doing it.

Your toothbrush’s lifespan may be three or four months. After that, your brush might not be able to do as great of a job at cleaning your teeth and it should be replaced.

If you would like to know more about dental hygiene and you live near Jacksonville, Florida, please call Berdy Dental Group today to schedule an appointment at (904) 647-2789. Drs. Christian and Cary Berdy, and our friendly team members, would be happy to help you have a bright and healthy smile.