Before the invention of toothbrushes, the simplest oral hygiene instruments, a variety of other methods had been used. Some of them were chew sticks, tree twigs, bird feathers, animal bones, and porcupine quills.
The first bristle toothbrushes, similar to the modern version, originated in China. They consisted of hog bristles, and were used during the Tang Dynasty. It is said that firmer bristles were produced from hogs living in colder regions like Siberia and northern China. The handles of the toothbrushes were carved out of bamboo, or bones.
However, toothbrushes were introduced in the western society only during the 17th century. In Europe, William Addis of England is believed to have produced the first commercially successful toothbrush in 1780.
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