The toothbrush. It’s an everyday item we often take for granted. A toothbrush, after all, is just a toothbrush. It’s not very special now, isn’t it? We see it in the morning, we see it at night, we even see it in-between meals when we’re not feeling lazy. The toothbrush isn’t a very remarkable object so we tend to underappreciate it and/or take it for granted.
What we fail to see is how complicated life would be without this simple teeth cleaning apparatus. An ordinary object maybe, but definitely one with a well-defined purpose – an important one, at that!
Dental health is never NOT an issue. It is just as important as skin health, brain health, heart health, and the like. Our teeth play a very important role in our lives. Therefore, the toothbrush – the defender and protector of our teeth – is just as important. Today, let us show our appreciation to this nifty tool by growing our knowledge of it. Let us also uncover some facts about toothbrushes you never would’ve imagined to be real!
Well, you all know what a toothbrush is. I just plugged in this section for the sake of formality. But for those of you who remain oblivious to what a toothbrush looks like, it’s the stick-thingy you use to clean your teeth with. It generally has two parts: the body and the head. The head houses the bristles of the brush so it is LITERALLY the most important part of your toothbrush. The body can break into two and you can still use the head to clean your teeth.
Although a toothbrush is a rather simple object, it still comes in many forms. Yes, the dental industry is just that innovative and creative. Different types of toothbrushes have been developed in recent years to care for different types of teeth. Each set of teeth is unique, after all. This is why every person deserves special care.
But now that we think about it, dental health awareness (or the need to care for one’s teeth) has flourished early in history. You may wonder how on earth people took care of their sets of pearly whites before the toothbrush was invented. Well, allow us to take you on a trip down memory lane. Let’s talk about how toothbrushes first came into the world.
Before toothbrushes were introduced, you bet people had less concern for their health. Prehistoric records will tell you how poor people’s teeth were back then. Still, the fact that the teeth of prehistoric men are able to survive to this day show us proof of how formidable and resilient our teeth are. Time, wear, and decomposition are no match for our teeth’s solidity. However, historical records also show us that despite withstanding the test of time; most teeth that survived are highly damaged with cavities and all. This lets us peer into the lives our ancestors have lived before. It shows us that dental care, although clearly necessary, wasn’t put into much practice. If we had to guess, it is probably because they didn’t know how to do it or how to go about it. Luckily, as decades pass, dental records begin to show changes. Good ones, too.
This sparks the beginning of proper dental health care. And as you may have already guessed, everything propelled into the right direction after the invention of one nifty tool: The Toothbrush.
As to when and where it all started, we can never be sure. However, records of the past show that the earliest traces of “toothbrushing” can be rooted way back to Ancient China. But be warned, it’s not the kind of toothbrush you’d expect to use, ever.
For these ancient toothbrushes, the Chinese used real animal hair! Their sources for materials were pretty diverse too. They used horse hair, boar hair, and even the fine, bristly hair of hedgehogs! It’s crazy, really. Compared to the plastic toothbrushes we use today, ancient toothbrushes were nature’s finest products. And we do mean that literally.
The subheading must have gotten you curious. Like, just how many types of toothbrushes are out there? Well, we don’t mean to mislead you but there really aren’t that many. We have two broad categories for toothbrushes, though. We have manual and battery-operated types. As a professional, I really encourage my patients to use the old classic toothbrush when it comes to caring for their teeth. Battery-operated ones are okay but they tend to make you lazy and you end up NOT reaching parts of your teeth that need a lot of attention. When you brush manually, you get a good feel of your teeth. You become more careful with handling the toothbrush.
So yeah, if I get to choose for my patients, I recommend using a classic toothbrush. It really gets the job done. Choosing which toothbrush to buy, however, is another story. Different brands offer different degrees of softness or hardness in their brushes’ bristles. You have to know which type is best suited for your kind of teeth (and gums) in order to make sure that you get the best possible care.
This type of bristle is best for people with sensitive gums. Those who are prone to bleeding and bruising should stick with soft-bristled toothbrushes. This type of toothbrush won’t cut or swell your gums; it’ll just brush what needs to be brushed without causing unnecessary discomfort.
This type is not too soft but it isn’t too hard either. It’s a good blend of firm and mild. For people who have sensitive gums but commonly experience teeth stains (probably because of having too many cups of coffee), this toothbrush is perfect for you.
If you prefer a toothbrush with a stronger, more solid feel, then a hard-bristled brush is your perfect match. This is recommended for people who like a rough clean; the type that you can really feel. Of course, we don’t recommend this kind of toothbrush to people with sensitive gums.
