Fun Facts for National Toothbrush Day

By Jill Feilmeier on June 26, 2014 in Just for Kicks

Break out your favorite flavor of toothpaste – June 26 is National Toothbrush Day! In honor of our favorite under-celebrated holiday, we’ve rounded up a few facts about the little brush that has a big impact on your oral health.

• Soft-bristled toothbrushes are best. Hard bristles can be painful when brushing and may eventually erode tooth enamel at the gum line.

• Rounded bristles are better than blunt-cut bristles, which may damage delicate gum tissue.

• Nylon bristles were not introduced until 1938. Before that, toothbrushes were made with boar-hair bristles!

• You should replace your toothbrush or electric toothbrush head every three months or when the bristles look frayed.

• Toothbrushes should be stored in an upright position to keep bacteria away.

• The first mass-produced toothbrush was made in 1780 by William Addis of Clerkenwald, England.

• Manual toothbrushes are just as effective as electric toothbrushes. The difference is that most people don't spend enough time brushing with a manual toothbrush to get the job done properly.

• Although it's recommended that people spend at least two minutes brushing twice a day, most people only brush for 46 seconds per session. Make sure you're getting the full two minutes in by using the toothbrush timer on our free Delta Dental Mobile app, available for iOS (Apple) and Android devices.