I’m a tooth brusher. For as long as I’ve had teeth, probably, I’ve been brushing them. Though, I don’t have any memorable moments from my childhood of tooth brushing time. The only memory I have, really, is of the toothbrush holder on the wall in the bathroom, with spots for six brushes and a cupholder in the middle. All our brushes hung there, and a couple of others rested on top, in-between the others.
It is no wonder that when one kid in the house got sick, all the kids in the house followed suit.
My other memory is Crest. That’s all we used. That is all I still use. I am a product of my environment, it seems.
But toothbrushes have not been around forever, unfortunately. A lot of people in history sported mouthfuls of rotten teeth, our first president included. Of course, he eventually lost his teeth and had a hodgepodge of materials that replaced his chompers.
Despite all my brushing, I had crooked teeth most of my life. They went this way and that, and they always bothered me a little. I eventually got braces when I was about 43 years old. It took a few years of heavy metal, but they are pretty straight now, and I continue to wear my retainers every night. It’s been 14 years.
But the truth is, I like to brush my teeth, and I’m not sure most people do. I’m old school too. I’ve tried to use the fancy-schmancy electric sonic boom brushes. I’m impaired in that way, apparently. I’ve purchased two so far and have given both to Mary. I like the old-fashioned kind that I motor along. It is good for my biceps. And my bicuspids.
Anyway, the toothbrush as we know it today was not invented until 1938, the kind with the nylon bristles. But the experts say that early forms of the toothbrush have been in existence since 3000 BC. Ancient civilizations used a thing called a “chew stick.” It was just a thin twig with a frayed end. The people rubbed the frayed part against their teeth, then smiled like crazy.
The reason I bring all of this up is because the bristle toothbrush, similar to the type used today, was born on this very date, June 26, 1498. Over in China. Now, I’ve never petted the back of a boar’s neck. But that is where those stiff bristles came from — the hog’s coarse hair. And then, the hairs were attached to handles made of bone or bamboo.
And then, people put those things in their mouths.
In their mouths.
Those boar bristles were used until 1938, when nylon bristles were introduced by Dupont de Nemours. The first nylon toothbrush was called Doctor West’s Miracle Toothbrush. I’m telling you, anything was a miracle after sticking pig hair in your mouth on a daily basis.
Americans didn’t really come on board with dental hygiene until World War II. The U.S Citizens were influenced by the disciplined hygiene habits of soldiers. That’s when they really starting paying attention to the nylon toothbrush. And business for the Tooth Fairy fell of dramatically.
So, there it is. Those bristles on the end of a stick. And those pearly whites we depend on so much in life, to gnash our food, and our troubles, and, of course, to make our photos look better.
As with anything in life, we take those teeth for granted until something goes wrong. And heaven knows, they really get our attention then.
We should give thanks for our teeth. And a million other things, too.
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“Life is short.
Smile while you still have teeth.”
― Mallory Hopkins
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“You have two eyes, and two ears, but only one mouth. This is so because you are supposed to look and listen more than you talk.”
― Lucca Kaldahl
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“I’ll bet my autopsy reveals my mouth is too big.”
― Bill Watterson
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Keeping the Fairy away, brushing her away
