However, in order to reach its current form and take its place in our bathroom, it went through many stages. Doing a review to find its roots, we go around 3,500 BC, where the Babylonians and Egyptians used tree branches (chewing one end until they withered) after first removing their leaves to clean their teeth. For best results they made a paste, with ingredients from water, ox hoof powder, myrrh, egg-shell and pumice. The same mixture seems to be used today by some African tribes and Muslims.

The ancient Chinese around 1600 BC. It seems that they used a similar technique, with the difference that they preferred to choose branches of aromatic trees (mint), taking care after the cleaning of the teeth to achieve a pleasant breath! Then for the upper social classes, the "toothbrush" was upgraded and the branch became a wooden handle at one end of which were fastened thin bamboo stems.

The Greeks seem to have brushed their teeth in the morning, rubbing them with a piece of linen cloth, as mentioned in a letter from Aristotle to Alexander the Great (3rd century BC). The same method is said to have been used by other people of Europe, until the 16th century.

In 1223 AD Chinese monks created a toothbrush, originally from a wooden or bone handle and bristles from pigs or other animals. Later, this handle became bronze or silver.

Around 1770, William Addis, while in prison, held an animal bone from his lunch, in which he dug small holes, where he placed and fastened pig bristles. This model is quite similar to the toothbrush, as it is depicted today. When Addis was released, he started his own production company called Wisdom Toothbrushes.

The modern history of the toothbrush begins in 1937, when the company Du Pont, discovers nylon and so we have the release of the first toothbrush with nylon fibres, called "Doctor's West's Miracle Toothbrush". This toothbrush gradually replaces the previous ones from animal bristles, because they were superior in advantages, they were more durable, they did not cause damage to the enamel of the teeth and they dried more easily.

The Americans apparently used a toothbrush to clean their teeth after World War II, when soldiers returned from European countries.

In 1939 the first electric toothbrush is made in Switzerland and in 1960 in America, the company Sqibb launches the electric toothbrush Broxodent. General Electric pioneered the release of the first rechargeable toothbrush (1961). Finally, in 1987, Interplak launched the electric toothbrush with a rotating head.

From the 80's onwards, toothbrushes with sloping heads, anatomical handles, different density and stiffness of the scalp appear to have access to the back teeth and other innovations.

Today, because we may be confused by the variety available in supermarkets and pharmacies, the best solution as to which toothbrush is right for us, but also how to use it is to ask our dentist!