The bristle toothbrush, similar to the type used today, was not invented until 1498 in China. The bristles were actually the stiff, coarse hairs taken from the back of a hog's neck and attached to handles made of bone or bamboo.

Who invented bristles?

15th-16th Century

The first “toothbrush” (with bristles) was invented in China and was made of animal bone, bamboo and hog hair. The bristles were very hard.

How did people brush their teeth in the 1800s?

Europeans cleaned their teeth with rags rolled in salt or soot. Believe it or not, in the early 1700s a French doctor named Pierre Fauchard told people not to brush. And he's considered the father of modern dentistry! Instead, he encouraged cleaning teeth with a toothpick or sponge soaked in water or brandy.