The modern toothbrush with its soft bristles was the first type of toothbrush to be mass-produced. Dentists encourage their patients to replace toothbrushes after three months or at the first sign of wear as overuse eventually renders the toothbrush less effective. Oral-B was the first company to mass-produce manual toothbrushes starting in the 1950s. Today millions of toothbrushes in many shapes, sizes and colors are manufactured every year, but the basic mechanism behind producing a manual toothbrush is very similar.
The first step in the manufacturing process is the formation of the toothbrush’s plastic body. Plastic pellets are heated up and forced through a metal tube into the toothbrush molds. In a liquid state the melted plastic is held in place in the mold until it cools and becomes a solid, plastic toothbrush. The mold includes the handle as well as the head of the toothbrush. The mold also imprints little holes in which the bristles will be fastened in the next stage of the production process.
Dentists agree that soft-bristles are a necessary component for an effective toothbrush. The use of nylon bristles instead of different kinds of animal hair completely changed not only the toothbrush, but also the way in which a toothbrush is made. During the manufacturing process bristles are folded over and put into place automatically. The bristles are then attached to the plastic body of the toothbrush with very small staples. Once the bristles are in place, the body and bristles of the toothbrush are put through a machine, which trims the bristles. At this stage there is an option for diversifying the toothbrush. As we wrote earlier in the “Life with the Toothbrush” different types of bristle design help improve dental hygiene. For example, the machine may cut in a “V-shaped” pattern to create a toothbrush more suitable for those who wear braces.
The next step of production is the coloring of the toothbrush. Modern toothbrushes come in a large variety of colors, patterns, and designs. At this stage in production a toothbrush may be painted a solid color or be intricately designed with various characters or patterns. The standard model of the manual toothbrush is relatively is widely used with slight variations; however, the decorative design of the toothbrush has become a large part of the manufacturing process and the decisions of the companies that produce such companies.
In order to distinguish themselves many companies have made changes to the toothbrush that have little to nothing to do with its effectiveness as a hygienic tool. However, whether a toothbrush has is painted a solitary color or has a picture of a Disney character will certainly affect which toothbrush a child picks out at the store. We may think that as we mature, individuals base their decisions less on design and more of practicality but adults still choose toothbrushes based on characteristics that don’t enhance dental hygiene.
Companies have begun to experiment with other ways to attract customers that have nothing to do with cleaning teeth. For example, one Japanese company produces a standard, manual toothbrush but differentiates itself by adding the function of a toothpaste-squeezing device. The “Rinser” toothbrush is also a manual toothbrush but it’s added feature is a curvature in the body of the toothbrush that when run under water creates a water fountain-like feature to rinse out your mouth. There are also toothbrushes that are more environmentally friendly, fold in half, stand up straight, are able to be attached to fingers or incorporate a toothpaste dispenser. Despite the innovative designs used in these toothbrushes they all share the same standard design of a manual toothbrush. Therefore, despite their originality a toothbrush that stands on its own or is completely biodegradeable it is no more effective than one a basic, manual toothbrush.