6 Facts You Didn’t Know About Your Toothbrush | Lancaster County Orthodontist
Do you ever think about your toothbrush? You use it twice a day, but how much do you know about it? We’ve compiled a list of interesting toothbrush facts. The next time you are brushing for a full two minutes, consider these bits of trivia.
1. TOOTHBRUSHES ARE LESS COMMON THAN MOBILE DEVICES
It is estimated that more people own and use a mobile device than those who own and use a toothbrush. With nearly 8 billion mobile devices, the world has more mobile phones, tablets, and other gear than people. However, only 3.5 billion people are estimated to use a toothbrush.
2. WHERE DID IT COME FROM?
It is believed that the first modern toothbrush was invented by a prisoner in England. Sometime around 1780, William Addis created a toothbrush from bone and used swine bristle for the brush.
3. A LONG HISTORY
Long before Mr. Addis invented what we know as the toothbrush, ancient Egyptians, Babylonians, and Chinese crafted tools for cleaning their teeth. The ancient Chinese used “chewing sticks” to freshen their breaths as early as 1600BC.
4. WHAT ARE THE BRISTLES MADE FROM?
Originally, toothbrush bristles were primarily made from cow hairs or boar hair. Today, nylon is the material of choice, and has been since the 1930s.
5. WHAT COLOR IS YOUR TOOTHBRUSH?
Blue is the most common toothbrush color. The second most common color is red.
6. A HOME FOR BACTERIA
More than 100 million bacteria call yo...
