I OFTEN ponder the simplicity of oral health. This happens especially when I reflect on the guardrails of maintaining general health. For instance, exercising daily, keeping away from alcoholic beverages, and eating big slices of roast beef can be considered onerous for an enjoyable life when compared to simply brushing and flossing one’s teeth daily.

I recall when I was a student of dentistry. A professor ended his lecture with the following words: “If I were marooned on a deserted island and asked what two items I would want, it would be a toothbrush and some aspirins.” It is not difficult to see the importance of a toothbrush in the removal of dental plaque, which is the key to good oral health.

The modern toothbrush, a high-tech instrument made of plastic and nylon bristles, started out as little more than a humble toothpick made from wood, thorns, metal, or porcupine quills. These have been around for at least 3,000 years. Virtually every civilisation has, at some time, produced powders or washes to freshen the breath and ward off oral disease.

So esteemed were the tenets of oral hygiene that Giovanni Archoli, an Italian physician who died in 1484, wrote ten rules for dental hygiene, including cleansing the teeth after meals. He was one of the first to mention the connection between food and dental decay.

During the 1800s, toothbrushes were made by hand. The thigh bones of cattle were considered superior for use as handles because they were the only ones strong enough to withstand pressure, especially when brushes became wet during use. Bristles came from the necks and shoulders of swine, particularly those in colder climates like Siberia, as they were considered stronger. Badger bristles were avoided because they were believed to be too soft.

One of the first illustrations of a toothbrush appeared in the 1818 tract Le Dentiste des Dames (The Women’s Dentist). A fashion among American men at the time was not to clean their teeth at all but to have the service performed periodically by their barbers.

By 1840, toothbrushes were being manufactured in France, Germany, and England. The use of new production methods and cheap labour enabled ornate brushes to be made with decorated handles and numerous small knots of bristles. The French took the art of manufacturing brushes to Japan, where cheaper brushes were produced for the lower-income population.

In the 1890s, early studies began to link tooth decay with oral hygiene, prompting Americans to embrace the toothbrush as a weapon against bacteria. Today, in a good supermarket in the USA, one can find at least eighty different products and brands of oral care items, including scores of different toothbrushes.

The first nylon brushes were made in 1938 and developed by researchers at E.I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. The use of nylon filaments gained widespread acceptance due to wars and other global disturbances that disrupted the importation of quality natural bristles. The combination of nylon bristles with plastic handles remains the standard for manufacturers today.

By 1990, electric toothbrushes were believed to have captured roughly 20-25% of the market. By 1994, toothbrushes operating on ultrasound technology became available to the public. Personally, I have been using that kind of toothbrush since then.

From 1990 to 1995, several dozen new toothbrush designs flooded the American market, featuring various shapes, sizes, colours, and functions.

Finally, remember that the evolution of the toothbrush—simple as it may seem—is a testament to its crucial role in oral health and, indeed, overall well-being.