The toothbrush is the world’s most basic dental care instrument. Here are a few things however, that you might not have known about it.

1. The world’s most expensive toothbrush is Philip’s FlexCare Plus at a price of $189.99. This electric toothbrush features five modes of brushing and delivers a little under 520 brush strokes per second. It also comes with an added UV sanitizer to clean the brush head.
2. William Addis invented the first modern toothbrush in 1780 while bored in prison. The brush was made of a bone that Addis picked up at mealtime and bristles he obtained from a guard. After getting out of prison, Addis made a fortune mass producing his invention.
3. Over a lifetime, the average American spends 38.5 days brushing their teeth. According to dentist recommendations, however, this number should be around 122 days.
4. The average toothbrush contains around 2,500 bristles. Original bristles were made of animal hair though this material fell out of favor due to hygiene concerns. A normal bristle today is made of nylon or a nylon-polyester blend.
5. America throws away an estimated 25,000 tons of toothbrushes per year. In an attempt to minimize waste, manufacturers have recently begun selling toothbrushes made of recyclable plastic. Other types of toothbrushes feature replaceable heads, encouraging people to trash only the bristle portion.

For toothbrush recommendations call or visit our office today.