The first bristle toothbrush was found in China and used Hog Hair
The first bristle toothbrush, resembling the modern toothbrush, was found in China during the Tang Dynasty (619–907) and used hog bristle.[4][9] The bristles were sourced from hogs living in Siberia and northern China because the colder temperatures provided firmer bristles. They were then attached to a handle manufactured from bamboo or bone, forming a toothbrush.[3] In 1223, Japanese Zen master Dōgen Kigen recorded on Shōbōgenzō that he saw monks in China clean their teeth with brushes made of horse-tail hairs attached to an ox-bone handle. The bristle toothbrush spread to Europe, brought back from China to Europe by travellers.[10] It was adopted in Europe during the 17th century.[5] The earliest identified use of the word toothbrush in English was in the autobiography of Anthony Wood, who wrote in 1690 that he had bought a toothbrush from J. Barret.[11] Europeans found the hog bristle toothbrushes exported from merchants in China too firm, and preferred softer bristle toothbrushes manufactured from horsehair.[3] Mass-produced toothbrushes, made with horse or boar bristle, continued to be imported to England from China until the mid-20th century.[6] Don't forget to check out our Kickstarter Campaign! If you love Curionic pledge what you can! Even a dollar and a share helps!