Hygiene Tribune U.S. Edition

f HT page 1D Contact info Emily Sutter 24641 Irish Lane Cleveland, Minn. 56017 sutt0079@yahoo.com HYGIENE TRIBUNE | March 2011 Clinical 3D Around 1780, the first modern toothbrush was made by William Addis of Clerkenald, England. Leg- end has it that the idea actually came to Addis while in prison. Boredom proved to be the motive for Addis to take a bone left behind from his din- ner, and bristles that he borrowed from a guard, and combine them to create a tool to clean his teeth. This alternative was far supe- rior to a dirty cloth with soot and salt. After his release, William Addis became the first person to mass-pro- duce toothbrushes. The Addis ver- sion of the toothbrush used cow tail hair drilled and tied onto cow bones. During World War I, the growing need for soup bone became more important than the need for brush handles. This sparked the birth of Celluloid handles that were made by injecting plastic into molds and cooling them in a given shape. Cel- luloid handles soon became the No. 1 choice for toothbrush handles. Animal hair bristles continued to be used until 1937, when Wallace H. Carothers created nylon in the Du Pont laboratories. This invention forever changed the history of the toothbrush. In 1938, nylon became one of the first signs of modern- ization, from the creation of nylon stockings to Dr. West’s Miracle-Tuft Toothbrush, the first nylon tooth- brush. Nylon filament seemed to be the natural choice for replacing ani- mal hair bristles with its countless advantages, including lower produc- tion costs and the ability to con- trol bristle texture. Manufacturers found they could also shape the filament tip and vary its diameter for improved performance. Several disadvantages to boar hair were that it often fell out, did not dry well and was prone to bacte- rial growth. Although nylon contin- ues to dominate the market today, boar hair bristle still account for about 10 percent of toothbrushes sold worldwide. After World War II, Americans began to become more concerned about oral hygiene. Brushing teeth regularly became popular in the United States after soldiers returned home and brought with them their strict habits of brushing their teeth. This influence spurred the devel- opment of more advanced tooth- brushes and helped bring oral hygiene into the mainstream. Today, more than 3,000 tooth- brush patents exist worldwide. The brands, styles and colors of tooth- brushes are virtually endless. Manufactures now offer tooth- brushes customized to a patient’s personal needs. Bristle design and texture as well as the size of the brush head are just a few of the variables available for manual toothbrushes, not to mention elec- tric ones, that patients may choose among. Over the centuries, the toothbrush has seen many changes in designs and materials used. Now the tooth- brush is a scientific instrument, which comes in diverse colors, shapes and sizes. It’s a tool with modern ergonomic designs and safe hygienic materials. The toothbrush has stood the test of time, thus earn- ing the title of being the cornerstone of proper oral hygiene. HT References 1. History of Dentistry and Den- tal Care by Mary Bellis; www. i n v e n t o r s . a b o u t . c o m / o d / dstartinventions/a/dentistry_2. htm. 2. How Products Are Made: Tooth- brush; www.enotes.com/how- products-encyclopedia/toothbrush 3. Evolution and Analysis of the Toothbrush by Kyle W. Sem- bera; www.asme.org/NewsPublic Policy/Newsletters/METoday/Arti- cles/Evolution_Analysis_Tooth- brush.cfm. 4. Article Alley: Evolution of the Toothbrush by Aditya Vekateswara, Nov. 15, 2006; www.articlealley.com/arti- cle_98797_17.html. 5. Parenting Toddlers: Toothbrush History; www.parentingtoddlers. com/toothbrush-history.html. 6. Evolution of the Toothbrush; AD The truly ‘green’ toothbrush Some 7,000 years ago, the Babylonians created their own toothbrushes out of Salvador persica, commonly called “miswak.” Miswak sticks were also used by the ancient Egyptians and Muslims, and during the Greek and Roman empires. Certain parts of Africa, Asia, the Middle East and South America still use miswak sticks today. The reason its use persists in this modern era relates to the fact that it is not only for oral hygiene, but has a social and religious significance in some cultures. Miswak sticks contain two times the amount of fluorine that is found in toothpaste, as well as silicon, vitamin C, salvadorine and trimethylamine. Minerals include potassium, sodium, chloride, sodium bicar- bonate and calcium oxides. In addition, the bark itself contains an antibiotic that suppresses bac- terial growth and plaque formation. Resins and mild abrasives reduce stains from coffee, tea and tobacco while the twig shape massages gums and can access those hard to reach places in the mouth. If you are game to try if yourself, they are rather inexpensive and can be found at a number of sellers online. At www.miswakstick.com you can also read some of the research papers referenced on the site. How do you use a miswak stick? 1. Remove the stick from the package and trim or chew the ½ inch of bark off one end of the stick. 2. Chew on the exposed end until the twig forms bristles. 3. Brush as usual. No toothpaste required. 4. When bristles look like an old broom —every few days — cut off the exposed bristles, peel the bark away and start anew. www.gargles.net/evolution-of-the- toothbrush. 7. The History of Toothpaste, Tooth- brush and Floss; www.toothbrush- express.com/html/toothbrush_ history.html. 8. Tooth Care: From Egyptians to Buddha and Beyond: Evolution of the Toothbrush and Centuries by Rosemary E. Bachelor, Dec. 30, 2008; www.suite101.com/content/ tooth-care-from-egyptians-to- buddha-and-beyond-a87149 9. Elvin-Lewis, Memory and Walter H. Lewis. The use of Nature’s toothbrush: the chewing stick. Research Reports: National Geo- graphic Society, v.16, 1975: 211– 231. (Photo/Providedbyflowersinisrael.com)