The history of toothpaste and brushes. Project work: History of the toothbrush: from antiquity to the present day

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Project on the topic: History of the toothbrush: from antiquity to the present day Students of grade 2B of the Stavrovsk secondary school Anastasia Likhacheva

The purpose of the work is to find out when the toothbrush appeared. Find out what people used to brush their teeth in ancient times. Learn the basic rules of dental care.

Every morning we run to brush our teeth. It would seem that a toothbrush is the most ordinary thing in the world. And in 2003, the toothbrush was called the greatest invention of mankind, even more important than a car or a computer.

The first kind of toothbrush was used by ancient people. It was a bunch of grass with which they rubbed their teeth. This is evidenced by marks on the teeth discovered during excavations. We can assume that the history of the toothbrush began with this.

In ancient Egypt they used a wooden stick. One end of it was chewed, removing plaque. The second pointed tip was used as a toothpick. And the Romans even kept special slaves for such a complex task as brushing teeth. It was 3500 BC

The appearance of the first toothbrush similar to the modern one occurs in June 1498. In China, they came up with the idea of ​​attaching a small number of boar bristles to a bamboo handle. The hardest and most durable bristles were chosen - from the animal’s neck.

When the toothbrush arrived in Europe, the Europeans did not really like its appearance and they replaced the bristles with horsehair, and the handles were made of gold, silver, tin, and later plastic.

The toothbrush “reached” Russia under Tsar Peter I. At that time, teeth were cleaned with a “dental broom” - a stick with hard bristles attached to the end. Later, by royal decree, it was ordered to brush your teeth with a cloth and crushed chalk. And in the villages, people brushed their teeth with birch charcoal, which perfectly whitened their teeth.

Later it was proven that bacteria live and multiply in the natural bristles of a toothbrush, which makes the procedure of brushing teeth not at all useful, and even dangerous. The first toothbrush with artificial bristles was released on February 24, 1938. These brushes have become more durable and safer.

I conducted a survey of second grade students at our school. The children were asked to answer the following questions: How many times a day do you brush your teeth? What toothbrush do you use? Conventional or electric 3. Why do you need to brush your teeth? A total of 73 people took part in the survey: 24 students of class 2A, 25 students of class 2B, 24 students of class 2B. Let's look at the survey results.

How many times a day do you brush your teeth?

What toothbrush do you use?

When asked why they should brush their teeth, the guys answered: To keep your teeth white; So that your teeth don't hurt; To avoid going to the dentist; To prevent teeth from falling out; To have something to eat; To keep your breath fresh; To destroy germs. This is all true! We brush our teeth to keep them healthy. After all, the health of the entire body depends on it. So what are the basic rules for dental care?

REMEMBER!!! IT IS IMPORTANT!!!

Maybe you have ever wondered how many times you can reinvent the toothbrush. Imagine that, according to statistics, between 1963 and 1998 more than 3,000 toothbrush models were patented!
Our ancestors probably understood a thing or two about dental hygiene. Paleontologist Leslie Hlusko of the University of Illinois claims to have evidence that early humans used vestigial toothpicks.

may result from erosion caused by repeated rubbing against grass stems. Skeptics emphasize that modern toothpicks do not leave marks, but, according to Hlusko, the abrasive properties of grass are higher - because, unlike wood, it contains many solid silicon particles. Hlusko says that the blades of grass would have left marks corresponding to the diameter of these holes - from one and a half millimeters to 2.6. Similar blades of grass grew almost everywhere, and there was practically no need to finish them to turn them into a good toothpick.
It is believed that ancient hominids began picking their teeth in an attempt to relieve pain from dental diseases. Hlusko conducted experiments first with a baboon tooth, then with a human one, and in both cases she was able to leave marks almost identical to those found on fossil teeth.

It is known that toothpicks were popular in ancient China, Japan, India, Iran and other early eastern civilizations. They were usually made from mastic wood, sometimes from gold or bronze.

The unnoticed but very important history of the toothbrush begins with chewing

flax records that were used by the inhabitants of Babylon many centuries before the birth of Christ. Ancient authors discussed the issue of brushing teeth very enthusiastically, and if you believe their evidence, then a simple chewing plate evolved into a chewing stick the size of a modern pencil. Lovers of cleanliness and hygiene chewed one end to form a wider cleaning surface, and used the other as a toothpick. By the way, the Romans kept special slaves for the difficult task of brushing teeth. This hygienic ritual was part of religious rituals.

These sticks, the most primitive version of a toothbrush, are still used by some Australian and African tribes, and are reported to be as effective at brushing as their modern counterparts.

The invention of the brush with bristles in 1498 is considered to be the merit of the Chinese. The bristles of a Siberian boar were attached to a bamboo or bone handle. Moreover, for such a task, only the “hair” that grew on the neck was shaved off the boar.

During the time of Ivan the Terrible, dental “brooms” were in use in Rus' - sticks with a tuft of bristles at the end, which the boyars used after meals.

Peter I ordered the boyars to brush their teeth with crushed chalk and a damp cloth. But the people knew another method: coals from birch wood perfectly whiten teeth. But you should rinse your mouth especially carefully after such cleaning.

This brush came to Europe in the seventeenth century and soon became widespread. Europeans who brushed their teeth (and there were very few of them, since at that time using a brush was considered an indecent activity - the custom of using a toothpick made of goose feather, gold or copper after meals was much more common) found pig bristles too harsh and replaced her horsehair. According to written sources, French dentists, the most "advanced" specialists in this field in Europe at the time, actively recommended daily use of a toothbrush throughout the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. Doctors working in colonized America also recommended its use.

Gradually, natural hair was replaced by nylon, which was invented in 1937 in the laboratories of Dupont de Nemours. The first such brush appeared in 1938. But toothbrushes, even with nylon bristles, remained very stiff, until in 1950 the Du Pont company improved the technology and made nylon hairs softer.

Oddly enough, the explosion in the hygiene industry, and in particular when it came to brushing teeth, occurred during World War II thanks to the military and continued into the post-war era. The houses of Europe and America were literally flooded with all kinds of hygiene products. Rapidly developing technologies for the use of plastics made it possible to produce brushes of a wide variety of colors and shapes.

The idea of ​​an electric toothbrush was proposed back in 1880 by Dr. Scott. The hairs of Dr. Scott's Electric Brush, according to the manufacturers, "possessed a constant electromagnetic field."
The first true mechanical toothbrush was patented in Switzerland after World War II and was powered by electricity. In 1960, it appeared on the American market. And in 1961, General Electric introduced the first model with a self-contained power supply. And although this thing seemed overkill to many, the electric toothbrush very quickly gained popularity. Later, various modifications of it appeared: a mechanical toothbrush with a built-in timer, a mechanical toothbrush with replaceable cleaning heads, etc.

In the 60s, in addition to mechanical brushes, electric rotating brushes appeared (Rotadent, Interplack, etc.). They work like hand brushes, but with increased abrasion, as they rotate at an average speed of 7000 movements per minute or 58 Hz. These brushes become an order of magnitude more effective than manual ones, but if cleaned too aggressively, they can harm the enamel.
In the 90s, electric reciprocating brushes appeared, also working on the principle of abrasion, most of which exist on today's market.
Combining the results of 29 studies, which involved 2,547 people from North America, Europe and Israel, American and British scientists came to the conclusion that only one type of electric toothbrush - the Braun Oral-B, which performs rotational-oscillatory movements - is significantly more effective than a conventional manual one. .

But the most significant progress in more “gentle” teeth cleaning was achieved with the development of sonic toothbrushes (Braun Oral B-3D, Sonicart, Panasonic, etc.). They operate at a sound frequency of an average of 30,000 strokes per minute or 250 Hz, which allows for a deeper and at the same time “gentle” foam cleaning.
In the mid-90s in the USA, Dr. Robert Bock developed and patented the Ultrasonex dual-frequency ultrasonic brush. This brush uses a completely new technology based on ultrasound. The brush moves at a speed of 196,000,000 movements per minute (or 1,600,000 Hz), which is more than 6,000 times faster than sonic ones. In addition to ultrasonic, “foamy” sound frequency is also used - 18,000 movements per minute. The bacteria that make up plaque are arranged in chains and attached to the surface of the tooth. . Waves of a therapeutic ultrasonic frequency of 1.6 MHz break these chains even under the gum (at a level of 5 mm) and destroy the method of attachment of bacteria, and the sound frequency of 18,000 movements per minute or 150 Hz, having a foaming effect, helps to gently remove this plaque.

A 12-week double-blind study at Case Western Dental Institute, USA, in 2 groups of patients (group 1 - using a brush with ultrasonic frequency, 2nd - without ultrasound), showed that Ultrasonex with ultrasound was 200 % more effective in removing nighttime plaque, 230% more effective in treating gingivitis, and 450% more effective in reducing bleeding gums.

Another distinctive feature of a modern toothbrush is its rounded bristles. For many years, dentists recommended straight, standard toothbrushes only because they lacked the technology to round every hair. Round bristles are the least traumatic for oral tissues. Modern production methods make it possible to create toothbrushes in a variety of shapes, sizes and models.

Design and marketing thought has not left a single centimeter of this tool untouched, starting from the comfortable, non-slip handle, bent, floating, etc. heads to bristles of various shapes and functional purposes.

For example, Glen Heavenor, a dentist from Glasgow, invents ergonomic handles in his spare time. He already has handles for frying pans, combs, garden tools and an adjustable wrench, a baby stroller and a safety razor. But the dream of a dentist has always been, of course, the ideal handle for a toothbrush. According to Glen, we brush our teeth incorrectly because we are simply not comfortable doing it in the most effective way. But no invention was as difficult for him as the toothbrush. The doctor was not afraid to be left without his main job, so he spent four years and a lot of his own savings on designing and testing an ergonomic brush. Now the prototype of the handle is finally ready, but needs further development. To encourage the dental designer, the National Group for Scientists, Inventors and Artists awarded him a grant of £75,000.

The most exotic toothbrush options:

Ionized brush, the action of which is based on the interaction of oppositely polar charges

Dentrust 3-sided brush with two heads, allowing you to brush your tooth on three sides at once

B-Fresh Toоthbrush w/ Toоthpaste - a toothbrush for travelers, combined with a tube of toothpaste for compactness

Concept brush with a disposable bristle head from Bould Design

O-zone toothbrush with a hole in the middle of the cleaning head for better rinsing

The research company Taylor Nelson Sofres (TNS) is studying public opinion commissioned by the legendary Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) as part of the Lemelson-MIT Program. The last survey was conducted in the United States in November 2002. To evaluate the importance of the toothbrush for humanity, it was included in the list of vital inventions for humans. And who would have thought! The toothbrush has overtaken the car, the computer and the mobile phone.

All that remains is to erect a monument to the brush! Which, by the way, was done!
The monument to the toothbrush (“Paste, in a Cup, on a Sink: Portrait of Coosje’s Thinking”) was erected in 1983 in the German town of Krefeld. The author is engineer J. Robert Jennings. Dimensions 6 x 2.8 x 0.2 meters Material - steel and cast iron painted with polyurethane enamel.

Archaeologists have proven that Neanderthals took care of their teeth. After examining the remains of teeth, which are more than 1.8 million years old, archaeologists have established that the small curved dimples on them are nothing more than the result of the influence of a primitive brush. True, she imagined just a bunch of grass with which ancient people rubbed their teeth. Also used for oral hygiene were ash, powdered stones, crushed glass, wool soaked in honey, charcoal, gypsum, plant roots, resin, cocoa grains, salt and many natural ingredients.

In the written sources of Ancient Egypt there was mention of dental care and related products. According to the testimony of ancient chroniclers, about five thousand years ago, the Egyptians achieved pearly white teeth using powder from dry incense, myrrh, kau, branches of the mastic tree, ram's horn and raisins.
The first prototype of a toothbrush appeared in Egypt; the toothbrush was a stick with a chewed “broom” at one end and a pointed tip at the other. The sharp end was used to remove food fibers, the other was chewed with teeth and used to remove plaque from teeth. These “brushes” were made from special types of wood containing essential oils and known for their disinfecting properties.
Such “dental sticks”, about five thousand years old, are found in Egyptian tombs. In some corners of the Earth, such “primitive brushes” are still used - for example, in Africa they are made from branches of trees of the Salvador genus, and in some American states the indigenous population uses branches of white elm. The first purpose-made gold toothpick was discovered in Sumer and dated to 3000 BC. e. An ancient Assyrian medical text described the procedure of cleaning teeth with the index finger wrapped in a cloth. Already in the second millennium BC. e. Tooth powder was used, made from pumice with the addition of natural acids - wine vinegar or tartaric acid.
The credit for further improvement of toothpaste itself belongs to two great civilizations in human history - the ancient Greeks and Romans, because it was the Mediterranean states that became the cradle of medicine.
Over time, toothpicks became not just a hygiene item, but also an indicator of the status of their owner - in Ancient India, China, and Japan they were made of gold and bronze.
Relatively regular oral hygiene practices have been known since ancient Greece. Aristotle's student Theophrastus (died 287 BC) testified that the Greeks considered it a virtue to have white teeth and to brush them frequently. In the letters of the Greek philosopher Alciphron, who lived in the 2nd century BC. e., there is a mention of a hygiene product common at that time - a toothpick.
The first toothpaste recipes date back to 1500 BC. The famous healer Hippocrates (460-377 BC) made the first description of dental diseases and recommended the use of toothpastes. In the second millennium BC. e. already used tooth powder made from pumice with the addition of natural acids - wine vinegar or tartaric acid.
However, regular oral care did not become widespread until Greece became a province of Rome. Under Roman influence, the Greeks learned to use materials such as talc, pumice, gypsum, coral and corundum powder, and iron rust to clean teeth. Diocles of Karysto, an Athenian physician and contemporary of Aristotle, warned: “Every morning you should wipe your gums and teeth with your bare fingers, then rub mint inside and outside your teeth to remove any remaining pieces of food.”
Body hygiene and oral hygiene in particular occupied a significant place in the life of the Romans. Its necessity was defended by the Roman physician Celsius. A recipe has been preserved for removing and preventing the formation of “black spots on teeth”: brush your teeth with a mixture of crushed rose petals, tannins and myrrh, and then rinse your mouth with young wine.
Teeth cleaning powders with a large number of components were widely used. The bones, eggshells, and oyster shells that were included in their composition were burned, thoroughly crushed, and sometimes mixed with honey. The astringent components were myrrh and saltpeter, which simultaneously had a strengthening effect on the gums and teeth. The substance "nitrum" was mentioned - probably sodium or potassium carbonate.
Guests invited to dinner were given not only spoons and knives, but also ornate metal toothpicks, often made of gold, which guests could even take home with them. A toothpick was to be used at every change of dishes. The ancient Greeks and Romans made toothpicks from wood, bronze, silver, gold, ivory and goose feathers in the form of thin sticks.
The early Middle Ages brought the first evidence of professional cleaning of the oral cavity: the Greek Paul of Aegina (605-690) proposed removing tartar using a chisel or other tools. He also wrote about the need to maintain oral hygiene, in particular brushing teeth, after eating, emphasizing that various foods stick to the teeth and leave plaque.

The concept of oral hygiene was introduced into the Arab world by the Prophet Mohammed (born in Mecca in 570 BC), introducing it into the Muslim religion. Among other requirements, the Koran requires rinsing the mouth three times before prayer (that is, 15 times a day). The Arabs cleaned their teeth according to the established ritual with the help of miswak - a stick made of fragrant wood with a split end like a brush and a chital toothpick - made from the stem of an umbrella plant, and also from time to time they rubbed their teeth and gums with rose oil, myrrh, alum, and honey. The twig was soaked in clean water for about 24 hours until the fibers began to separate. The bark was removed, revealing a hard fiber that was quite flexible and easily split.

The history of the development of oral care products after the fall of the Roman Empire is almost unknown until 1000 AD, which is when oral care instructions found during excavations in Persia date back. These guidelines warned against the use of too harsh tooth powders and recommended the use of antler powder, crushed snail and clam shells, and calcined plaster. Other Persian recipes included compositions of various dried animal parts, herbs, honey, minerals, aromatic oil, etc.
In the Middle Ages, dental elixirs became fashionable in Europe; they were made by doctors and monks, and the recipe was kept secret.

In 1363, the work of Guy de Chauliac (1300-1368) “The Beginnings of the Art of Surgical Medicine” appeared, which in 1592 was translated into French and was widely used by practicing doctors, becoming the main work on surgery of that time. The author divided dental treatment into two types: universal and individual.
The biggest success was the tooth elixir. It was invented in 1373, but at the beginning of the twentieth century it was still sold in pharmacies.
Chauliac's successor Giovanni do Vigo (1460-1525), author of the treatise “Complete Practice in the Art of Surgery,” recognized that healthy teeth have a beneficial effect on a person’s mental and physical health. To prevent tooth decay, he prescribed mixtures of pomegranate, wild olive and other plants for rinsing, and recommended regular removal of tartar. The Italian doctor Chigovani Arcoli (d. 1484) widely promoted the 10 rules he described for dental care, including after meals. In the 15th century in England, barbers who also practiced surgery used various metal instruments and solutions based on nitric acid to remove tartar (it is worth noting that the use of nitric acid for these purposes was stopped only in the 18th century).
The first toothbrush like modern ones, made from pig bristles, appeared in China on June 28, 1497. What exactly did the Chinese invent? A compound brush with pig bristles attached to a bamboo stick.
At times, however, other materials came into fashion, for example, badger hair.
Gradually, the Asian “new product” began to be “exported” to other countries of the world, and the fashion for brushing teeth reached Russia.
In Russia in the 16th century, similar “tooth brooms” were known, consisting of a wooden stick and a broom made of pork bristles - already under Ivan the Terrible, the boyars took out a “tooth broom” - a wooden stick with a tuft of bristles - from the pocket of their caftan at the end of a stormy feast. These inventions were brought to Russia from Europe, where panicles made of horse hair, badger bristles, etc. were also used with pork whisks.
Under Peter I, the royal decree ordered that the brush be replaced with a cloth and a pinch of crushed chalk. In the villages, teeth were still rubbed with birch charcoal, which perfectly whitened teeth.
Residents of the Japanese islands were introduced to a toothbrush and a tongue-cleaning twig by Buddhist priests, whose religion requires cleaning their teeth and tongue every morning before prayer.
The Japanese “Samurai Code” ordered all warriors to brush their teeth after eating with soaked twigs of bushes. During the Tokugawa (Edo) period (1603-1867), toothbrushes were made from willow twigs, separated into fine fibers and specially processed. The brushes were of a certain length and flat in shape, so that they could be used as a tongue scraper.
Toothbrushes for women were smaller and softer to preserve the black color of their teeth (women painting their teeth black was an ancient tradition). A polishing paste made from a mixture of earth and salt, scented with musk, was applied to the tip of the twig moistened with water.
Toothpicks, similar to modern ones, were made by hand in Japan and sold along with brushes and powders, which appeared on the market as early as 1634. Colorful display cases invited customers to special stores where all dental care items were sold. By the beginning of the 19th century, the number of such stores increased sharply. There were more than two hundred of them on the street leading to the main Edo temple alone.


In 1530, the first book entirely devoted to dentistry was published in Leipzig. It was written in German, not Latin, and was addressed to barbers and surgeons.
The famous 16th century surgeon Ambroise Paré recommended careful oral hygiene: remove all food debris from the teeth immediately after eating; it is necessary to remove tartar, as it acts on teeth like rust on iron; After removing stones from the teeth, the mouth should be rinsed with alcohol or a weak solution of nitric acid. To whiten teeth, weak solutions of nitric acid were most often used.
English sources of the 16th century describe various means for caring for the oral cavity; rubbing teeth with fingers and cloth and using toothpicks were widely recommended. Toothpicks were imported from France, Spain, Portugal, were considered very fashionable and were included in the list of items required for the queen. The respect for these hygiene items is evidenced by the reverent report that in 1570, Queen Elizabeth of England received six gold toothpicks as a gift.
Professional removal of dental plaque remained the job of barbers. Cintio d'Amato, in his book New and Useful Methods for All Diligent Barbers, published in 1632, noted: “This happens mainly due to the vapors rising from the stomach, as a result of which deposits form on the teeth, which can be removed with a rough cloth when you wake up in the morning. Therefore, one should scrape and brush the teeth every morning because if one does not know about it or does not think it is important, and the teeth become discolored and covered with a thick layer of tartar, it will cause them to decay and fall out. It is therefore necessary that a diligent barber remove the stones in question with a special instrument designed for this purpose.”
In the 17th century, Europeans enthusiastically brushed their teeth with salt, which was later replaced by chalk. The indescribable surprise of the Dutchman A. Leeuwenhoek (1632-1723), who designed the microscope, is known to have discovered microorganisms in the plaque on his own teeth, “despite the fact that they were regularly cleaned with salt.”
The first scientifically based presentation of material on oral hygiene belongs to Pierre Fauchard, who criticized the then prevailing opinion that the cause of dental diseases were some mysterious “tooth worms.” He identified 102 types of dental diseases. Fauchard argued that teeth must be brushed every day.
The first mention of toothbrushes in European literature dates back to 1675. It is believed that the first manufacturer of toothbrushes was the Addis company (1780) in London. She used natural bristles for these purposes. In 1840, brushes began to be produced in France and Germany.
Tooth powder, and then toothpaste, which are closest to modern ones, first appeared at the end of the 18th century in Great Britain.

In the 19th century, most dentifrices remained in powder form, sold in special small paper bags. Now its goal was not only to remove plaque, but also to at the same time give freshness to the breath, for which various natural additives were mainly used, such as strawberry extract. To make these products more palatable, glycerin was added to tooth powders.
In Western Europe and Russia, chalk-based tooth powders were widely used. The first tooth powders were made in pharmacies according to special recipes, then their industrial production was established. The basis of these powders was chalk and magnesium carbonate. Finely ground leaves or fruits of medicinal plants (cinnamon, sage, violet, etc.) were added to the powders. Later, these additives were replaced by various essential oils.

In the second half of the 19th century, work began on the creation of toothpastes. The finest chalk powder was evenly distributed in the jelly-like mass. First, starch was used as a binder, from which a special paste was prepared in an aqueous solution of glycerin. Later, starch was replaced with a sodium salt of an organic acid, which stabilizes the chalk suspension.
In 1873, Colgate introduced a flavored “liquefied” powder-paste in a glass jar to the American market, but consumers did not immediately accept the new product due to the inconvenience of packaging.
At the end of the 19th century, it became clear that tooth bristles needed a revolutionary new material when the outstanding French microbiologist Louis Pasteur hypothesized that microbes and viruses were the cause of many dental diseases. And where is it most comfortable for them to reproduce, if not in the moist environment of the natural bristles of toothbrushes? As an option, dentists suggested boiling toothbrushes daily, thereby disinfecting them, but this procedure quickly wore out the bristles and made the brush unusable.
In 1892, dentist Washington Sheffield invented the toothpaste tube. In 1894, a pump-fed tube was developed much like the ones we use today. In 1896, Mr. Colgate began producing toothpastes in tubes using his own technology, thanks to which both the tube and this paste received universal recognition in America and Europe. With the introduction of packaging in a tube, toothpaste has become a basic necessity for people.
Since the end of the 19th century, the world began to switch to toothpastes in tubes. In most countries of the world, they came into use in the 30s of the 20th century and gradually began to replace tooth powders, since they had undeniable advantages - compactness, portability, plasticity, and better taste properties.
In 1915, extracts from certain trees growing in Southeast Asia, such as eucalyptus, began to be introduced into the composition of the products. “Natural” toothpastes containing mint, strawberries and other plant extracts are also used.
In 1937, specialists from the American chemical company Du Pont invented nylon, a synthetic material whose appearance marked the beginning of a new era in the development of toothbrushes. The advantages of nylon over bristles or horsehair are obvious: it is lightweight, quite durable, elastic, moisture-resistant, and highly resistant to many chemicals.
Nylon bristles dried much faster, so bacteria did not multiply as quickly. True, nylon scratched gums and teeth quite a lot, but after some time Du Pont managed to fix this by synthesizing “soft” nylon, which dentists vied with each other to praise their patients.
The end of the 30s of the 20th century was marked by another important event in the world of oral hygiene - the first electric toothbrush appeared. So, back at the end of the 19th century, a certain Dr. Scott (George A. Scott) invented an electric brush and even patented it in the American Patent Office. However, unlike modern devices, that brush “beat” a person with an electric current during use. According to the inventor, electricity could have a “beneficial” effect on dental health.
A more humane toothbrush, powered by an electric network, was created in 1939 in Switzerland, but production and sales began only in 1960, when the American pharmaceutical company Bristol-Myers Squibb released a toothbrush called Broxodent. It was planned that it would be used by people who have problems with fine motor skills, or those whose teeth have non-removable structures (braces).

In 1987, the antibacterial component triclosan began to be included in toothpastes.

The USSR lingered in the era of tooth powder for almost three-quarters of a century; the first Soviet toothpaste in a tube was released only in 1950. Before this, pastes were sold in tin, and later in plastic jars. True, even in this package, toothpaste appeared on store shelves quite rarely; the undisputed leader in sales was tooth powder, which became so firmly established in the life of Soviet people that it penetrated into areas unusual for its intended purpose. In home economics books of the time, you will find tips on using tooth powder to clean windows, clean canvas shoes, or shine metal utensils. The powder went away following the fashion for canvas. Consumers enthusiastically accepted the new product - a foamy and fragrant toothpaste.
In 1961, General Electrics introduced its version of the electric toothbrush, designed for use by all people without exception. Unlike older models, this safer toothbrush did not work from the mains, but was powered by a built-in battery.

Healthy teeth mean a beautiful smile, a beautiful smile is always a pleasant communication.
A smile costs nothing, but is highly valued... D. Carnegie

A toothbrush is a mandatory personal hygiene accessory that any person has, including infants in their first year of life. A toothbrush is necessary to cleanse teeth from food debris and germs, massage gums and stimulate blood circulation in the tissues surrounding the tooth and bone alveoli. The history of the toothbrush goes back many centuries - the first mentions of devices for cleaning teeth date back to primitive times. Ancient people used bamboo branches and pieces of propolis to remove remnants of meat and rough plant foods from the space between their teeth. The first brush that vaguely resembles modern products was created in China in 1498.

How did you brush your teeth before toothbrushes came into existence?

Our Russian ancestors used various organic products to cleanse their teeth and freshen their breath. Peasants from poor families used bunches of meadow grasses, which have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties, for these purposes. Particularly popular were sprigs of thyme, stems of calendula and sage. To make your breath fresh and your tooth enamel smooth, it was enough to chew these herbs for 3-5 minutes. It is noteworthy that this procedure was used mainly only after meals - it was not customary to brush your teeth in the morning and before bed.

More prosperous families used propolis, also called bee glue, to get rid of leftover food. Propolis has a resinous consistency, yellow, brown or swampy color and a bitter taste with a characteristic aroma of honey. Bees use propolis to seal cracks in hives and disinfect cells, so the product has pronounced antimicrobial, bactericidal and antiseptic properties. The use of propolis to cleanse the oral cavity provided a pronounced therapeutic and hygienic effect, so this method of brushing teeth was popular for a long time.

Properties of propolis in oral hygiene:

• Gives your breath freshness and a pleasant honey aroma for a long time;
• stops bleeding gums, strengthens the walls of capillaries and blood vessels;
• whitens tooth enamel, prevents deposits and plaque;
• disinfects the oral cavity, destroys pathogenic microorganisms (fungus, microbes, bacteria);
• provides prevention of demineralization of tooth enamel due to the content of large amounts of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, fluorine and other elements necessary for dental health.

Propolis and other beekeeping products were actively used by representatives of the royal court, courtiers, and wealthy nobles. People close to the king also often used ground raisins to clean their teeth. In those days, raisins were considered a very expensive product and even wealthy peasants could not afford to use them for purposes not related to food intake. To give your teeth a pearly color and shine, it was enough to grind 20 g of light or dark raisins and rub your teeth with this mixture on all sides.

Myrrh - resin from the island of Socotra

A less popular, but also effective remedy for removing food residues from the surface of teeth and gums was myrrh. This is a resin that is extracted from the parenchyma of the African or Arabian myrrh tree. It was quite expensive, so it was not very widespread in Russia.

Table. What other materials were used to clean teeth before the appearance of toothbrushes in Russia.

The appearance of the first toothbrush in Russia

The appearance of the first brushes for cleaning teeth in Russia is associated with the period of the reign of Ivan the Terrible (1547-1584). The product itself appeared much earlier - in June 1498. The first toothbrush was made in China on June 25 - this day is considered the day toothbrushes appeared all over the world. The first products were made from natural materials that were subject to climatic and mechanical influences and did not have the necessary consumer characteristics to enable mass production.

The handles of the first Chinese brushes were made of stone or bamboo wood. Pork hair was used to make the bristles. This material did not take root in Russia due to harsh climatic conditions. During transportation and storage at low temperatures, pork hair became very tough and scratched the mucous membranes of the gums, causing bleeding and pain.

This is interesting! The first brushes were called “tooth brushes.” 5-7 years after the first toothbrushes with bristles made from pig wool appeared in Russia, local craftsmen learned to make brushes with horse bristles - in terms of consumer properties, it was significantly superior to products made from pig wool, it was softer and more durable.

Wealthy families could afford to purchase dental brushes made from badger bristles - not only did it not injure the gums, but it also massaged soft tissues, providing a healing effect.

What prompted the temporary ban on toothbrushes?

During the reign of Peter the Great (1682-1725), toothbrushes were banned. The king's court physician suggested that the moisture remaining on the surface of the bristles after using the broom is an excellent breeding ground for pathogenic bacteria and microbes and can cause various infectious diseases. Dental whisks were immediately declared unsafe and their use was prohibited by government decree. It was allowed to brush teeth only with chalk, plaster, coal or precious metals - primarily gold. For non-compliance with the decree, very strict penalties were introduced, providing for the seizure of existing property and imprisonment for up to 5 years.

The decree was canceled only in the 18th century, when the era of the reign of Peter the Great ended.

The first toothbrush manufacturer

The first brush produced in specialized production (not only in Russia, but also in the world) is a product of the Addis brand. Later, mass production of products from various materials began in other European countries. The leaders in the production of toothbrushes in 1840-1845 were Germany, France and the Czech Republic. It was these countries that provided the bulk of supplies to Russia. By the way, the raw materials for the production of bristles were supplied to these factories from China and Russia.

After several decades, natural fibers were replaced by artificial materials, which had many advantages over products with natural bristles. These benefits include:

• longer service life;
• resistance to temperature changes and mechanical stress;
• hypoallergenic (allergic reactions often occurred to products made from natural fibers);
• pronounced hygienic properties.

Fact! In synthetic fibers, pathogenic microorganisms practically cannot multiply (which cannot be said about natural wool), therefore, since 1938, all enterprises began to produce products with artificial pile.

When did the electric brush appear in Russia?

The first powered toothbrush appeared in Switzerland around 1938-1939. It took developers more than 20 years to improve the model and put it on sale. In 1961, electrical products became available in Russia, which were not very convenient to use, so within two years a battery-powered brush appeared on the market.

Swiss Philipp-Guy Voog - inventor of the electric toothbrush

Today there are many varieties of such products. Particularly popular are electronic brushes of the brand with a rotating head, which allows you to ensure absolute cleanliness of the oral cavity by penetrating into the most difficult to reach places. The Japanese went even further - they created a brush with a video camera, which records the entire process of brushing your teeth. A person can view the recording and track which areas are poorly treated during cleaning. Such brushes are not popular in Russia due to their very high cost - the price of one product can reach up to 5-7 thousand rubles.

Non-standard use of a toothbrush in Russia

When toothbrushes (or toothbrushes) first began to appear in Russia, they were not popular and many continued to brush their teeth using old, proven methods. During this period, the inhabitants of the country found many uses for the unusual device, many of which were very successful. For example, girls used natural bristle brushes to comb their eyebrows and give them a beautiful shape. Brushes were actively used for applying blush, exfoliating the skin of the lips, and distributing nourishing medicinal compounds throughout the hair.

During washing, products with natural bristles helped remove stubborn stains from berries, fat, grass, and coffee beans. Women who belonged to the royal court used toothbrushes to arrange strands and create hairstyles.

Toothbrushes have a long history, which began long before the official appearance of the first product resembling a modern toothbrush.

Nowadays it is a common accessory for oral hygiene care, but there was a time when toothbrushes were banned, and their use was punishable by long-term arrest or confiscation of all acquired property.

Video - How toothbrushes appeared