A Brief History of Dental Hygiene Tools

What Did People Use Before Toothbrushes? 🔗

Since the fourth millennium BCE, when urban civilizations first appeared in ancient Mesopotamia, humans have strived to achieve proper dental hygiene. Yet the nylon-bristled toothbrush we use today didn’t come along until the 1930s. For the thousands of years in between, people relied on rudimentary tools that evolved with scientific knowledge and technological advancements over time. Some of the earliest toothbrush predecessors date as far back as 3500 BCE. Here’s a look at how people kept their teeth clean before the modern toothbrush. Chew Sticks and Toothpicks Sometime around the year 3500 BCE, the ancient Babylonians (located near modern-day Iraq) created a tool known as a “chew stick.” This simple, handheld piece of wood is considered the earliest known direct predecessor to the toothbrushes we use today. Chew sticks were simple wooden twigs cut to approximately 5 or 6 inches long. One end ...Read More

Before the invention of the modern nylon-bristled toothbrush in the 1930s, people used various tools to maintain dental hygiene, dating back to ancient civilizations around 3500 BCE. The earliest known tool was the "chew stick," a simple wooden twig softened to create a brush-like effect for cleaning teeth. Ancient Arab cultures also used chew sticks made from the aromatic Salvadora persica, known as miswak. Additionally, early toothpicks made from wood or metal were utilized in civilizations like Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Greece to keep teeth clean.

What was the earliest tool used for dental hygiene?

The earliest tool used for dental hygiene was the "chew stick," a simple wooden twig that dates back to around 3500 BCE.

What is miswak?

Miswak is a chew stick made from the Salvadora persica shrub, used by ancient Arab cultures for its strong mouth-freshening effects.

How did ancient Greeks maintain dental hygiene?

Ancient Greeks used toothpicks known as karphos, which were made from coarse fibers like straw or thin pieces of wood for cleaning their teeth.