The toothbrush is a brush used to clean teeth.

Many traditional cultures around the world have cleaned their teeth by rubbing twigs or pieces of wood against them since ancient times. Rubbing baking soda or chalk against the teeth was also common.

According to the American Dental Association, the first toothbrush was built in 1498 by an emperor in China who had hog bristles embedded in a bone handle. They were not common in the West until the 17th century, and became much more common in the 19th century. (A common older method of tooth cleaning, by rubbing with a piece of rag cloth, was in use in Europe at least since Roman times). Natural bristles (from animal hair) were replaced by synthetic materials, usually nylon, by DuPont in 1938. The first nylon bristle toothbrush made with nylon yarn went on sale on February 24, 1938

The first electric toothbrush, the Broxodent, was introduced by Squibb Pharmaceutical at the centennial of the American Dental Association in 1959.

Toothpaste is commonly added to a toothbrush to aid in cleaning.

In January 2003, the toothbrush was selected as the number one invention Americans could not live without, beating out the automobile, personal computer, cell phone, and microwave, according to the Lemelson-MIT Invention Index[1].

The latest type of toothbrush is the sonic toothbrush .

External links

• Footnote of History: The Toothbrush
• CNN: Toothbrush Trounces Car as Top Invention