toothbrush

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Head toothbrushes

The toothbrush is an instrument used to clean and care for teeth . Toothbrushes are offered with different hardness of the bristles and in various sizes and shapes.

history

Toothbrush shop in Japan (ca.1770)
Chewing sticks (Miswak)
Toothbrush by Napoleon Bonaparte , 1795. Science Museum London .

Archaeological finds in ancient Egyptian tombs from around 3000 BC BC prove that the earliest known toothbrush was a small stick to chew on. It was a thin piece of a branch that was frayed at one end. Such chewing sticks are still in use today by some ethnic groups living close to nature (e.g. Miswak ). But they are also exported to Germany.

In the Empire of China around 1500 toothbrushes with bristles were designed, but they had the shape of a brush. The bristles came from the neck of domestic pigs and were attached to stems made of bamboo or bone . Also around 1500 there were cleaning sets made of bones in Germany , in which a toothbrush was mounted together with an ear spoon and a toothpick , as an archaeological find from Lübeck shows.

In Europe, the softer horse hair was preferred as brush material, because the French doctor Pierre Fauchard , who is considered the father of modern dentistry , made derogatory comments in his textbook from 1728 about the ineffective, because much too soft, toothbrushes made from horse hair . At that time the teeth were mostly cleaned with sponges or cloths. Around 1700 the city ​​physicist Christoph von Hellwig invented a toothbrush. The handle was made of wood or metal and the bristles were made of horse hair. The Englishman William Addis founded the first company in 1780 to professionally manufacture toothbrushes from cow bones and bristles. The toothbrush was a luxury item for the wealthy.

In the 19th century, toothbrush handles were made from animal bones , ivory , horn or tortoise shell . There were single and double toothbrushes where the bristles were attached to one or both ends. The double version had one end curved to make it easier to clean the inside of the dentition.

In 1880 the first form of the electric toothbrush was developed by Dr. Scott developed, who also applied for a patent for his device. As production was not payable at the time, it was not until the 1940s that the first product came onto the market.

With the invention of nylon in 1938, the cheap mass production of toothbrushes was made possible. On February 24, 1938, the US company DuPont produced the first specimens with nylon bristles. However, this first generation of toothbrushes was still so hard that it could injure the gums and was therefore hardly recommended. It wasn't until 1950 that softer nylon, which was better suited, became available.

As early as the 19th century, it was recommended to use the toothbrush after every meal in addition to regular dental examinations :

“Then, where possible after every meal, all gaps and cavities in the teeth must be freed from food residues with toothpicks and toothbrushes, but especially from those that are easily rotten (i.e. animal foods). [...] In any case, the teeth must also be regularly examined by a dentist . "

- Report in Die Gartenlaube , 1853 No. 4

Molds and accessories

The head of an interchangeable toothbrush
Head of an electric toothbrush
Audio recording of an electric toothbrush

Manual toothbrush

The most common and cheapest model is the hand-held short-headed toothbrush . Some areas in the mouth can be better reached with a small brush head, which is why high-quality manual toothbrushes often have a short head, medium-hard to soft plastic bristles with rounded bristle ends and an ergonomic handle that allows safe guidance. A flat bristle field has proven itself. For better cleaning of the interdental spaces and other hard-to-reach places, models with angled and crosswise arranged bristles as well as bundled separate bristle fields were developed. Today, the use of natural bristles is being discussed again, but for hygienic reasons it is extremely questionable (medullary canal, rough surface). An ecological variant of the manual toothbrush is the interchangeable head toothbrush , in which only the head needs to be replaced after approx. 8 weeks, the handle, on the other hand, can be used longer depending on the frequency of use. This results in less plastic waste. Another variant of the manual toothbrush to avoid plastic waste are manual toothbrushes with a handle made from renewable raw materials such as bamboo or beech wood .

Electric toothbrushes

The electric toothbrush was introduced in 1954 by the Swiss company Broxo. Industry-independent studies have shown that the cleaning performance of electric toothbrushes exceeds that of manual toothbrushes.

Early electric toothbrushes mimicked the movement of the hand and swung elliptically. However, these were more complex to guide and, due to their construction, have more vulnerable mechanical components than other electrical brush shapes. In addition, almost all designs today have a battery operation, which makes the brush independent of the cable connection and the direct vicinity of a socket. For safety reasons, this type of construction is prescribed in many countries, as operation with a mains connection in the event of defects or, for example, use in the shower represents a considerable potential risk. Cordless brushes are therefore stored in a stand supplied, through which they are charged by induction . Designs with contact charging are also considered too dangerous in the sanitary area. Battery operation is also out of date, but is still common, especially in the cheapest price segment.

Since electric toothbrushes are much more durable than their brush heads, all models have interchangeable heads that have to be bought by the consumer.

In the case of the electric toothbrushes that are predominantly available in the market, there is also the problem of making repairs more difficult , since the lithium-ion batteries or nickel-metal hydride batteries are permanently installed and cannot be replaced.

Several manufacturers have brought electric toothbrushes onto the market, which, connected to the smartphone, provide feedback on cleaning behavior.

Rotary toothbrushes

Electric toothbrush

The oscillating-rotating toothbrush is characterized by a round rotating or oscillating brush head. The principle of operation is similar to a tooth polishing tool.

According to a study, the cleaning performance of oscillating-rotating brush heads is slightly better than that of manual toothbrushes. However, the study authors may not be independent, the clinical significance has been questioned, and the quality of many comparative studies is insufficient for a robust statement.

Sonic toothbrushes

The electronic sonic toothbrush is a further development of the electric toothbrush . With this, the brush head is moved at a higher frequency than with conventional electric toothbrushes. Instead of an electric motor , the head is driven by an electrical sound transducer (magnetically or via a piezo effect ) and usually causes the brush head to vibrate at a frequency of 250 to 300 Hertz. The tooth is not cleaned by the sound waves, but by the bristles moving at a relatively high frequency. A special feature of sonic toothbrushes is the oval shape of their brush head, which is reminiscent of the head of a conventional manual toothbrush.

Ultrasonic toothbrushes

At vibration frequencies above 300 Hertz one speaks of "ultrasonic toothbrushes". They reach up to 1.8 million oscillations per second (1.8 MHz). Such devices work with a swab that sets the liquid in the mouth vibrating and, with the help of a special toothpaste , causes foam bubbles to burst. The cleaning performance is achieved through this bursting. Ultrasonic toothpaste does not contain any cleaning material. Ultrasonic toothbrushes do not work mechanically; They can be recognized by the fact that they do not work with conventional toothpaste, because the cleaning bodies prevent it from working. Although ultrasonic toothbrushes work with a brush as an attachment, z. B. a sponge can be used. The advantage of the ultrasonic toothbrush is that the teeth and gums are not mechanically processed.

Prices and consumption costs

Using manual toothbrushes is still the cheapest. A mechanical electric toothbrush is more expensive, a sonic brush even more expensive. The most expensive is the ultrasonic toothbrush. The Stiftung Warentest tested regularly the quality of electric toothbrushes. The test winner currently costs 220 euros. But a brush for only 16 euros is hardly worse (as of January 2019). In some cases, a basic device is accused of high consumption costs for replacement brush heads and thus a lock-in , making it more difficult to change products due to the costs involved in changing products . Electric toothbrushes are rated as more practical by many consumers.

Toothbrushes for special requirements

Chewable toothbrushes

Chewable toothbrushes, toothpaste crystals are visible

Chewable toothbrushes are best for traveling or when there is no conventional way to brush your teeth . They were developed to remove food residues and plaque easily from mouth and teeth.

Chewable toothbrushes are made from elastomers using an injection molding process and have a bristle surface to which a cylindrical pin is attached. Between the bristles there is a tooth cleaning powder consisting of xylitol , polydextrose , aromas and water. The cleaning process is analogous to the use of dental care chewing gum ; In addition, when chewing on the brush, the teeth are actively cleaned down to the gums by means of the pin and shape of the brush . Chewable toothbrushes are no substitute for proper tooth brushing . They are used when conventional oral hygiene is not possible .

This type of toothbrush was developed and patented by a Dutch dentist in the 1990s. In the mid-90s it was further developed by the British Jim Drew and introduced in England under the name Fuzzy Brush. According to the manufacturer, two studies were carried out. They are mainly offered in machines at airports and rest stops.

Interdental brushes

Interdental brushes of various (color-coded) sizes

Interdental brushes , even interdental brushes called, are toothbrushes to clean between teeth and hard to reach places. Various strengths and shapes are offered in pharmacies and drug stores, e.g. B. bottle brushes or paint brushes. It is recommended to change the brush head every four weeks.

There is evidence that after conventional tooth brushing, an interdental brush removes more plaque than floss. However, the prerequisite for use is that the interdental space is large enough for cleaning with an interdental brush.

The size of interdental brushes is standardized in ISO standard 16409. The brush size is a number from 0 (small interdental spaces) to 8 (large interdental spaces) and indicates the passable hole diameter . This corresponds to the size of the interdental space into which the brush can just be pushed without the wire bending.

The color of the brushes differs between different manufacturers. The same applies to the wire size.

Brush size according to ISO 16409
Brush size 0 1 2 3 4th 5 6th 7th 8th
Passable hole diameter in mm ≤ 0.6 0.7-0.8 0.9-1.0 1.1-1.2 1.3-1.5 1.6-1.8 1.9-2.3 2.4-2.8 ≥ 2.8

Finger toothbrushes

Finger toothbrush

The finger toothbrush is particularly suitable for the oral care of babies . It is made of silicone , has a very flat, soft bristle field, often only in the form of rubber nubs, and can be put over the finger. Finger toothbrushes are used to gently clean the baby's gums, the roots and the first teeth, but above all to get the child used to using the toothbrush.

Toothbrush hygiene and cleaning

Hygiene and cleaning measures for toothbrushes must be easy to carry out, otherwise they will not find acceptance. They also have to be cheap and resource-efficient, because otherwise it is better to buy a new toothbrush.

  • It is not recommended to share a toothbrush with another person as it poses both general hygienic concerns and an increased risk of transmission of blood borne diseases such as hepatitis C. Therefore, several people should use different colored toothbrushes to prevent confusion.
  • Rinsing under a powerful jet of water and visual inspection for residues before drying are recommended.
  • It is beneficial if the toothbrush dries as quickly as possible after rinsing. To do this, place the brush in the toothbrush cup with the brush head facing up. Toothbrushes should be transported in a container that is as breathable as possible.
  • For outdoor activities and in nature, at the end of brushing your teeth, you put the brush head in your mouth again and suck the foam out of the brush (then spit it out). The empty toothbrush can then be rinsed out with a minimal amount of water (e.g. from a water bottle).
  • If the immune system is restricted (e.g. diabetes, pregnancy, cancer or after an operation), the oral flora is susceptible to germs and easily inflamed gums and fungal thrush . Then disinfecting the toothbrush with a dental spray containing chlorhexidine can reduce the colonization of germs.
  • Some models of electric toothbrushes have electric UV disinfection devices built into the chargers.

Toothbrush damage

Toothbrush monument in Bad Tennstedt, in honor of Christoph von Hellwig

Teeth can be damaged by a variety of factors. Above all, the wrong toothbrushing technique with the manual toothbrush must be mentioned, namely when it is used to “scrub” the tooth necks horizontally. Too much pressure on the toothbrush can also damage the tooth. Right-handers exert more pressure when cleaning the right half of the teeth, left-handers on the left. The toothbrush rests on several teeth in the posterior and frontal area. It only rests selectively on the canine, so that the prominent canine teeth are cleaned with two to three times pressure with the same contact pressure of the toothbrush. In some electric toothbrushes, technical measures are used to try to reduce the contact pressure.

Hard toothbrushes clean more thoroughly; However, if they are more heavily removed, they damage gums, teeth and tooth necks to a greater extent than soft toothbrushes. With sensitive teeth, a softer toothbrush and longer brushing is recommended.

Hard natural bristle toothbrushes (viewed microscopically) have sharp ends that lead to tooth damage. The natural bristles are cut during manufacture, resulting in sharp ends. In contrast to this, the manufacturing process means that plastic bristles have rounded tips on the individual bristles. The rounded tips are created by melting the plastic ends.

Toothpastes that contain too many abrasives (so-called smokers' toothpaste ) should only be used occasionally because they are coarse and, with regular use, gradually rub off the tooth enamel.

Incorrect use of electric toothbrushes can also lead to defects in oscillating-rotating electric toothbrushes. In an in-vitro study it could be shown that various electric toothbrushes (rotating-oscillating toothbrushes, sonic and ultrasonic toothbrushes) rub off healthy dentin more strongly than manual toothbrushes. Newer developments reduce the maximum contact pressure of these toothbrushes.

Brushing your teeth should not be done immediately after consuming acidic foods and drinks, because the acid slightly etches the tooth surface. In this case, you should wait one to two hours before brushing your teeth until the tooth enamel has remineralized . Alternatively, you should brush your teeth before eating acidic foods.

Most often, the wrong brushing technique results in wedge-shaped defects on the tooth neck. However, several factors are assumed to coincide.

Toothbrushes for dogs

Commercially available, soft toothbrushes can be used to clean dogs' teeth. Hard toothbrushes can damage the dog's gums. Alternatively, double-headed toothbrushes are offered with which the outer and inner surfaces can be cleaned at the same time. The brushes are available in different sizes. To get used to it, there are finger toothbrushes available that can be attached to the index finger like a thimble. Either they are coated like a brush with short bristles or rubber nubs or they have the brush head with soft bristles at the end of a stable plastic cover. Electric toothbrushes that run very quietly have been specially developed for dogs. Nevertheless, the dog needs to get used to the noise for a long time. Basically, the dog should be gradually introduced to teeth cleaning over several weeks with a lot of patience so that it can be stress-free. "Dog snacks" in toothbrush form are unsuitable for manual teeth cleaning.

Trivia

There are several standards for toothbrushes, including DIN EN ISO 20126. Among other things, this describes a tuft pull-out test in which each bristle has to withstand a tensile force of 15 Newtons.

In the dystopian novel Wir by the Russian author Evgeny Samjatin , completed in 1920, the inhabitants of the “United State” use electric toothbrushes as a matter of course.

See also

Web links

Commons : Toothbrush  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files
Wiktionary: Toothbrush  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Brushing teeth, washing ears - personal hygiene was not a foreign concept in the Middle Ages. (No longer available online.) In: Lübecker Stadtzeitung. October 30, 2001, archived from the original on September 3, 2013 ; Retrieved November 17, 2012 . Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / stadtzeitung.luebeck.de
  2. ↑ Toothbrush . In: Universal Lexicon of the Present and Past . 4., reworked. and strongly increased edition, Volume 19:  Weck – Zz and supplements , self-published, Altenburg 1865, p.  499 .
  3. ↑ 50 years of the electric toothbrush. Retrieved September 11, 2018 .
  4. ^ Patrick Robertson: The Book of First. queried on February 23, 2011.
  5. ↑ Three evils of the human mouth . In: The Gazebo . No. 4 , 1853, p. 40 ( ANNO - AustriaN Newspapers Online [accessed July 29, 2020]).
  6. ↑ Bamboo toothbrushes & Co: plastic replacement on the rise. March 15, 2019, accessed September 10, 2019 .
  7. ↑ Brush your teeth with a clear conscience. In: coop.ch . September 9, 2019, accessed December 20, 2019 .
  8. ^ A b P. G. Robinson, SA Deacon, C. Deery, M. Heanue, AD Walmsley, HV Worthington, AM Glenny, WC Shaw: Manual versus powered toothbrushing for oral health. In: The Cochrane database of systematic reviews. Number 2, 2005, p. CD002281, ISSN  1469-493X . doi: 10.1002 / 14651858.CD002281.pub2 . PMID 15846633 . (Review).
  9. ↑ C. Deery, M. Heanue, S. Deacon, PG Robinson, AD Walmsley, H. Worthington, W. Shaw, AM Glenny: The effectiveness of manual versus powered toothbrushes for dental health: a systematic review. In: Journal of Dentistry . 32 (3), 2004, pp. 197-211, doi: 10.1016 / j.jdent.2003.11.006 .
  10. ↑ Martin U. Müller : Medical apps: How the cell phone replaces the doctor . In: Der Spiegel . July 24, 2017 ( spiegel.de [accessed March 6, 2018]).
  11. ^ Robert J. Weyant: Powered toothbrushes and manual toothbrushes are generally equally effective in plaque removal. In: The journal of evidence-based dental practice. Volume 5, No. 1, 2005, pp. 24-25. doi: 10.1016 / j.jebdp.2005.01.006
  12. ^ SA Deacon, AM Glenny, C. Deery, PG Robinson, M. Heanue, AD Walmsley, WC Shaw: Different powered toothbrushes for plaque control and gingival health. In: Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. No. 12, 2010, Art. No .: CD004971. doi: 10.1002 / 14651858.CD004971.pub2
  13. ↑ Info about ultrasonic toothbrushes .
  14. ↑ Electric toothbrushes: test winner for adults and children (fee required), Stiftung Warentest, December 21, 2018. Accessed January 3, 2019.
  15. ↑ DentAkut, The Chewable Toothbrush .
  16. ↑ Fuzzybrush, Research to back fuzzy brushes ( Memento of 2 May 2013 Internet Archive ).
  17. ↑ JI Gluch: As an Adjunct to Tooth Brushing, Interdental Brushes (IDBs) are More Effective in Removing Plaque as Compared With Brushing Alone or the Combination Use of Tooth Brushing and Dental Floss. In: Journal of Evidence Based Dental Practice. Volume 12, No. 2, June 2012, pp. 81-83, ISSN  1532-3382 , doi: 10.1016 / j.jebdp.2012.03.016
  18. ↑ a b DIN EN ISO 16409: 2010-06, Dentistry - Oral hygiene products - Manual interdental brushes
  19. ↑ German version prEN ISO 16409: 2014, Dentistry - Oral hygiene products - Manual interdental brushes (draft standard)
  20. ↑ Different versions of the standard specify different brush sizes
  21. ↑ In contrast to what can be read on various websites (as well as in older Wikipedia editions), neither the color of the brushes nor the wire size is specified in ISO 16409: 2010 or ISO / DIS 16409: 2014. Only general information on the nature of the wire (must not bend) and specifications to the contrary for the packaging (the brush size must be specified) can be found there.
  22. ↑ Size 0 can still be found in ISO 16409: 2010, but no longer specified in ISO / DIS 16409: 2014, as of December 2015.
  23. ↑ Brush size 1 with passable hole diameter ≤ 0.8 according to ISO / DIS 16409: 2014, as of December 2015.
  24. ↑ a b Sizes 7 and 8 according to ISO / DIS 16409: 2014, as of December 2015.
  25. ↑ G. Lock, M. Dirscherl, F. Obermeier, CM Gelbmann, C. Hellerbrand, A. Knöll, J. Schölmerich, W. Jilg: Hepatitis C - contamination of toothbrushes: myth or reality? In: Journal of Viral Hepatitis. 13, 2006, pp. 571-573. doi: 10.1111 / j.1365-2893.2006.00735.x
  26. ↑ S. Sato et al .: Antimicrobial spray for toothbrush disinfection: An in vivo evaluation. In: Quintessence Int. 36, 2005, pp. 812-816.
  27. ↑ S. Preiss: Clinical observation of oral hygiene habits in people without and with non-caries-related dental hard tissue defects. (PDF; 4.7 MB). Dissertation . Giessen University, 2008.
  28. ↑ S. Zimmer, M. Öztürk, CR Barthel, M. Bizhang, RA Jordan: Cleaning efficacy and soft tissue trauma after use of manual toothbrushes with different bristle stiffness. In: J Periodontol . 82 (2), Feb 2011, pp. 267-271. doi: 10.1902 / jop.2010.100328
  29. ↑ Brush your teeth: hard or tender. Stiftung Warentest, 2009.
  30. ^ A. Wiegand, F. Lemmrich, T. Attin: Influence of rotating-oscillating, sonic and ultrasonic action of power toothbrushes on abrasion of sound and eroded dentine. In: Journal of periodontal research. Volume 41, Number 3, June 2006, pp. 221-227, ISSN  0022-3484 . doi: 10.1111 / j.1600-0765.2005.00850.x . PMID 16677292 .
  31. ^ A. Wiegand, S. Egert, T. Attin: Toothbrushing before or after an acidic challenge to minimize tooth wear? An in situ / ex vivo study. In: American journal of dentistry. Volume 21, Number 1, February 2008, pp. 13-16, ISSN  0894-8275 . PMID 18435369 .
  32. ↑ The wedge-shaped defect, causes and therapy. (PDF; 31 kB) German Society for Dental, Oral and Maxillofacial Medicine.
  33. ↑ Markus Eickhoff: Das Hundezahnbuch: Recognizing problems correctly Preventing pain . Georg Thieme Verlag, 2007, ISBN 978-3-8304-4198-4 , p. 104.
  34. ↑ How do you feel about the tuft extraction test, Mr. Boergen? In: Der Spiegel . ( spiegel.de [accessed on March 6, 2018]).