Different Strokes for Different Folks: A History of the Toothbrush

Travel toothbrush

To attract consumer interest and meet special requirements, a greater variety of toothbrushes appeared at the turn of the 19th century. Among these were children’s toy toothbrushes, two-tufted dental plate brushes and toothbrushes designed for travelers. Around that time, manufacturers were experimenting with size and texture options, offering smaller toothbrush heads with soft, medium or hard bristles. Diversification continued with 500 different kinds of toothbrushes, differing in size, length, shape and bristle texture, emerging by the late 1920s.

Mattick, BE 2010 A Guide to Bone Toothbrushes of the 19th and Early 20th Centuries. Bloomington, IN: Xlibris Corp; Segrave, K 2010 America Brushes Up, the Use of Marketing of Toothpaste and Toothbrushes in the Twentieth Century. Jefferson, NC: McFarland and Co