Toothbrush

It consists of a head of tightly clustered bristles, atop of which toothpaste can be applied, mounted on a handle which facilitates the cleaning of hard-to-reach areas of the mouth.

They should be used in conjunction with something to clean between the teeth where the bristles of the toothbrush cannot reach - for example floss, tape, interdental brushes or toothpicks.

[1] Because many common and effective ingredients in toothpaste are harmful if swallowed in large doses, tooth paste should instead be spat out.

However, numerous others are made of cheap plastic; such brushes constitute a significant source of pollution.

[6] This has been verified by excavations during which tree twigs, bird feathers, animal bones and porcupine quills were recovered.

The Greeks and Romans used toothpicks to clean their teeth, and toothpick-like twigs have been excavated in Qin dynasty tombs.

[8] Chew sticks remain common in Africa,[10] the rural Southern United States,[7] and in the Islamic world, the use of the chewing stick, miswak, is regarded as a pious action and is prescribed for use before every prayer, occurring five times a day.

[12][13] Neem, in its full bloom, can aid in healing by keeping the area clean and disinfected.

In fact, even today, Neem twigs called datun are used for brushing teeth in India, although not hugely common.

[7] In 1223, Japanese Zen master Dōgen Kigen recorded in his Shōbōgenzō that he saw monks in China clean their teeth with brushes made of horsetail hairs attached to an oxbone handle.

[7] Mass-produced toothbrushes made with horse or boar bristle continued to be imported to Britain from China until the mid 20th century.

Since the closure of the factory, Hertford Museum has received photographs and documents relating to the archive, and collected oral histories from former employees.

The improved design had a bone handle with holes bored into it for the Siberian boar hair bristles.

[15] Natural animal bristles were also replaced by synthetic fibers, usually nylon, by DuPont in 1938.

[26] By the turn of the 21st century nylon had come to be widely used for the bristles and the handles were usually molded from thermoplastic materials.

[citation needed] In spite of the changes with the number of tufts and the spacing, the handle form and design, the bristles were still straight and difficult to maneuver.

[30] Most studies report performances equivalent to those of manual brushings, possibly with a decrease in plaque and gingivitis.

They are meant to have the bristles do the work by just placing and moving the toothbrush, so that fewer back and forth strokes are needed.

An interdental or interproximal ("proxy") brush is a small brush, typically disposable, either supplied with a reusable angled plastic handle or an integral handle, used for cleaning between teeth and between the wires of dental braces and the teeth.

Other types of disposable toothbrushes include those that contain a small breakable plastic ball of toothpaste on the bristles, which can be used without water.

It is more commonly introduced to children to gain their attention and positively influence their tooth brushing behavior.

Studies have shown that brushing to remove dental plaque more often than every 48 hours is enough to maintain gum and tooth health.

Especially for sensitive teeth, damage to dentin and gums can be prevented by several measures[50] including a correct brushing technique.