Today I am writing about toothbrushes. Something we all take completely for granted as an essential item these days. Apparently 3.6 billion toothbrushes are produced each year (worldwide), almost all of them plastic. Most of those toothbrushes end up in landfill, but many are washing up on beaches. Each toothbrush lasts between 1 and 3 months and is then discarded. In the course of an average 75 year lifespan you can use and discard between 300-900 toothbrushes (depending on how frequently you replace them). In our household of five we go through at least 20 toothbrushes a year. These figures are astonishing. Recycling options are starting to become available but many people are unaware of this. I didn’t realise that toothbrushes and toothpaste tubes can be recycled until I noticed a collection point for them at kindergarten.
In researching this post I became curious about the history of the toothbrush that we take so much for granted these days. When did toothbrushes and tooth brushing become common?
Here is some fascinating information for you.
The Egyptians were making something called “tooth powder” as far back as 5000 years BC. It apparently consisted of ash from ox hooves, myrrh, eggshell fragments and pumice. It was likely applied with a finger as there is no record of a tool.
The earliest known actual “device” for cleaning teeth comes from ancient Babylonia between 3500 and 3000 BC, and was called a “chew stick”. A chew stick is basically just that, a chewed stick with a frayed end that was used to clean teeth. Different types of aromatic twig were used, presumably to freshen the breath. Sometimes one end was sharpened into a toothpick. Chew sticks are still used in parts of Africa today.
The Chinese used chew sticks as well, and it also seems that they developed the earliest actual “brush” around 619-907AD during the Tang Dynasty. They used boar bristles (!) attached to a bamboo stick or bone. Writings from 1223 describe monks using horse hairs in a bone handle to clean their teeth. Chinese toothbrushes were introduced to Europe by travellers and became popular in the 17th century.
One of the earliest accounts of an actual “toothbrush” is found in the autobiography of an Oxford antiquarian (person who studies, collects or sells antiques) called Anthony Wood. He writes that in 1690 he paid a J. Barrett for a toothbrush.
In 1780, William Addis of Clerkenwald, England decided to produce a more modern toothbrush (while he was imprisoned for starting a riot). He used a bone, drilled some holes, tied bristles (obtained from a guard) into tufts and glued them in the holes! On his release he began manufacturing his toothbrushes and became wealthy doing it. He left the business to his son when he died and the business continues to manufacture toothbrushes today (Wisdom Brushes).
Europeans loved the toothbrush and it became the height of fashion to own one during the 1800’s. During the 1900s, bone handles began to be replaced by celluloid handles.
During WW1 the War Department began enforcing hygiene orders to combat a number of problems caused by men living in close proximity. A soldier was expected to brush his teeth daily. By the end of the war daily brushing had become a habit.
In 1938, DuPont Corporation began manufacturing nylon bristle brushes.
The toothbrush we are familiar with became common somewhere between the end of WW2 and today. I couldn’t find out exactly when the majority of toothbrushes came to have plastic handles, but by the turn of the 21st century moulded plastic handles are the norm.
And that brings us to today’s problem of plastic toothbrushes and the impact they have on the environment.
In the supermarket today you can buy any number of brightly coloured plastic toothbrushes. Each brand claims to have its own unique attribute essential to dental hygiene, from angled bristles, gum massagers, tongue cleaners, ergonomic handles, electric toothbrushes, vibrating toothbrushes and goodness knows what else. But all of them are plastic.
I found a plastic toothbrush in the seaweed at the beach earlier this year. I saw one in the gutter recently. They don’t all end up at the dump. Once discarded it is out of sight out of mind. Yet it will take hundreds of years for them to degrade. They are here for the long haul whether we like it or not.
That toothbrush in the sand got me wondering. Surely there must have been something before plastic and if so perhaps there could be alternatives available now. I sat myself down and googled it. Guess what? There are alternatives out there. Bamboo toothbrushes! To find an alternative to the plastic status quo you’ll need to visit somewhere like Commonsense Organics, or shop online. I decided to trial some and see what I thought. I got bamboo toothbrushes for the family in several different brands. After a full 6 weeks of using them I can honestly say that they are reasonably priced and perfectly functional.
All the bamboo brushes that I have come across come with soft bristles. This is because (although some people like firmer bristles) soft bristles are recommended by dentists because they don’t damage gums. All the brands of bamboo brush I have come across make both adult and children’s sizes.
I’ve been using The Humble Brush and I really like it. It is the only brush that seems to also be socially responsible as well as environmentally friendly (at least as far as I can tell). Every purchase goes to fund projects for children in need through the Humble Smile Foundation. My brush was purchased from Commonsense Organics, but they are also available online.
My kids (aged 7 and 4) have been enthusiastically using Mama Bear brushes. They both love them and are very excited to have ditched another plastic product. The handles are round and this seemed to be easy to grasp and manipulate. To be honest I think it is easier for little hands to use these than the bulky plastic junior brushes we were buying. I am not sure why the handles of the plastic brushes have to be so chunky, but these bamboo brushes seem to be easier all round. We purchased these online from the Cruelty Free Shop.
My 14 year old daughter tried out the Environmental Toothbrush (also purchased online from the Cruelty Free Shop) and really likes it. She prefers the handle to the plastic brushes she was using. Usually very hard on her toothbrushes, this one has lasted the same length of time or perhaps slightly longer than her old plastic ones. I think she was taking more care of it because she liked it so much!
My husband has just started using a Go Bamboo toothbrush tonight after finally putting his old plastic one out for recycling (yes you can recycle plastic toothbrushes). He seemed pretty happy with it. Another friend of mine has been using this brand for a week or two since I gave it to her to help with a “rubbish free week” challenge. She is also very positive about it, particularly the soft bristles. These brushes were purchased at Commonsense Organics.
Because they still have nylon bristles you have to either pull out the bristles with pliers or break off the head and dispose of the bristles in the rubbish before composting the handle. I am perfectly happy to do either in order to reduce the amount of plastic I send to landfill each year. I have decided to up-cycle the bamboo (once it is de-bristled) by using them as plant labels when I grow seeds for our garden. You can write on the handles with ballpoint or vivid just fine.
So all in all I can’t imagine ever going back to plastic toothbrushes. The bamboo alternatives are brilliant. As far as I am concerned I will continue to reduce plastic by sourcing bamboo toothbrushes for my family.
So there you are. All you need to know about bamboo toothbrushes. I encourage you to give them a go.