Talk:Toothbrush

History : Teeth Brush?

I was wondering if anyone could tell me about the origin of the word "toothbrush". A student asked me why they call it a "toothbrush" and not a "teethbrush". And please, no jokes about West Virginia or Tennesee.

what's the joke of West Virginia or Tennesee? Xah Lee 20:54, July 28, 2005 (UTC)

That people there only have one tooth each. Confluence 10:30, 21 September 2005 (UTC)

I imagine it's called a toothbrush for the same reason that an egg-carton isn't called an eggs-carton and pea soup isn't called peas soup - those are two examples that I could think of on the spur of the moment, but there seems to be a general pattern in English for making compound names like this. Can you think of a single such name which refers to the (multiple) things something is made from or used with, with a plural noun? Confluence 10:30, 21 September 2005 (UTC)

Fair use?

I don't think we can use the apprentice image under fair use for this article as it's in no way related to the the apprentice series. Has anyone got a digital camera and a toothbrush handy? --W(t) 01:32, 2005 May 17 (UTC)

act of brushing teeth

is there an article about the act of brushing teeth? i.e. when did teeth brushing started? I imagine it started in the 1900s when toothbrush is mass produced... but then What is the effect if one don't brush teeth at all? I imagine unimaginable decay and teeth loss... but people seems to also live relative long (up to 50s) before 1990. What's the deal? Xah Lee 20:54, July 28, 2005 (UTC)

I think tooth brushing (or cleaning) goes back millenia, I'm pretty sure it was practiced by the Hindu brahmins, among other groups. Generally, the old-fashioned method involved using a stick. Emmett5 22:48, 17 June 2006 (UTC)

method

I've added a section on the method of brushing the teeth (not the history). I'm not a professional in the area, I only know so much about this that I need for everyday life, so someone who knows more might want to review this. Also, I don't know much about how to use an electric toothbrush.

Also, should brushing the teeth be a redirect here? – b_jonas 14:35, 28 December 2005 (UTC)

Great thanks for the cleanup to Heron. – b_jonas 13:47, 1 January 2006 (UTC)

I've read that you are supposed to brush in a circular motion at a 45 degree so that you can clean the gumline. I think that if you do it correctly, it feels as if you are brushing your gums. Also does anyone know how people can brush before they eat breakfast (since the article recommends that you brush twice a day, preferably after a meal), the taste in your mouth before you brush your teeth is disgusting, so I must brush before eating, but brushing right after eating breakfast seems so soon and I wait until after dinner. Any information/research on this? 70.111.251.203 13:21, 23 February 2006 (UTC)

I don't think any dentist has any clue what they're talking about when it comes to brushing teeth. Over the years I've been told (straight from my dentists mouth) to, Brush in Circles, Brush up and down only, and Brush only with the growth of the tooth (up or down). Now I read this article and apparently the current "fad" in dentistry is "Brush back and forth with tooth wide strokes along the gum line with gentle pressure.". Which seems to suggest "Right to Left". Mark my words, in 5 years dentists will "discover" that if we brush our teeth with our finger and hum "Rule Britannia", our teeth are magically clean after the first verse. --The Lone Bard 19:24, 29 November 2006 (UTC)

Ordinary vs. electric

I read this article in search of a solution to whether an electric toothbrush is better than an ordinary one or not. I found two opposite answers:

• Also, you can use an electric toothbrush (though it is not recommended) instead of a normal toothbrush.
• Research shows these may prove more effective at removing plaque and preventing gingival bleeding than the manual toothbrushes.

So which one should I rely on? - Sylph 17:47, 23 January 2006 (UTC)

I don't know. I've originally written that both methods are equivalent, but don't trust me, I'm not a professional. To be sure, ask your dentist. Of course, it is possible that different dentists would have different opinions. – b_jonas 22:37, 31 January 2006 (UTC)

They may also be sponsered by a certain company. Someone needs to find research on this for more conclusive evidence, the article is mislead and whether one is better than the other should be removed until we get some conclusive evidence. 70.111.251.203 13:17, 23 February 2006 (UTC)

Cochrane says: When compared to manual toothbrushes, powered toothbrushes with a rotation oscillation action provide protection against gum inflammation in the long and short term and better plaque removal in the short term Powered toothbrushes simulate manual toothbrushing in different ways (such as moving side to side or circular motions). The review of trials found that only rotation oscillation (where brush heads rotate in one direction and then the other) is better than manual toothbrushes at removing plaque and reducing gum inflammation, and is no more likely to cause injuries to gums. http://www.cochrane.org/reviews/en/ab002281.html http://www.cochrane.org/cochrane/revabstr/AB002281.htm This is conclusive evidence.

Why brush the teeth?

I can't guarantee that this is the logic behind brushing teeth, but it's my current reasoning, and people are welcome to suggest improvements about it.

1. Bacteria is on the teeth, but the bacteria do no damage the teeth as long as the teeth are clean because the bacteria don't eat the teeth. 2. Bacteria use the food that is on the teeth to eat and reproduce, and it's waste products damage the teeth. 3. Now there's so much bacteria that if you don't use a toothbrush then they will continue to consume the food on the teeth and continue with the waste products that damage the teeth. Logictheo 05:33, 15 September 2006 (UTC)

     this is completely unbased on logic, but spur-of-the-moment laymen thinking. you. are. being. laughed. at.

Comment

Theonlyedge 00:06, 31 January 2006 (UTC) I'd just like to say that this is a very funny article.

Toothbrush sharing

You shouldn't share your toothbrush with anyone else. Yeah, it's common sense, and the idea of using someone else's toothbrush sure is gross, but why? The article about kissing doesn't even mention hygiene in the first place, but I suspect it's less hygienic to kiss one another than share a toothbrush with someone (as toothbrushes get washed and a paste is used to enhance cleaniness). Some tests also suggest that sharing a toothbrush is more hygienic than sharing a comb, probably due to the fact that combs don't get that much cleaned before of after use. Anyway, I'm not a professional, but I'm quite curious about this. - Sylph

Actually, kissing is more hygienic than shaking hands. It does seem like common sense, but if the toothbrush is washed, I don't see too much of a problem. However, I'm not a dentist. Doppelganger E 02:19, 1 January 2007 (UTC)

I remember getting told by some dentist speaker in school when I was little you can get AIDS from sharing a toothbrush because your teeth can bleed. It's for not spreading germs, anyway. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_article_id=388236&in_page_id=1774&in_a_source Earfetish1 (talk) 06:06, 28 March 2008 (UTC)

Recent History of the Toothbrush

Does anyone have any recent history of the toothbrush they can add to the article? It seems that in the last ten years or so, they've added all these (possibly useless) features such as wear indicators and angled bristles, flexible handles, rubber stimulators, etc. It's always been a source of puzzlement that there are dozens of these designs available now.

toothpaste

Should you keep the toothpaste in your mouth, let it drip, or spit it out periodically? 70.111.251.203 12:09, 26 February 2006 (UTC)

Also, how much toothpaste should you use? 128.6.175.15 13:49, 1 March 2006 (UTC)

The article mentions to rinse with water afterwards. Many dentist, including me, advise to only clean the mouth by spitting to give the fluoride extra time to do it's good work.

Saying that would mean more to me if you signed your post.--The Lone Bard 06:09, 1 December 2006 (UTC)

They used to use animal hair as bristles!

Sonicare ellite 9500 vs Oral-B triumph

I heard Good reviews from both product, I have using the Advance for 3 years now, I kind of want to get a replacement for it. Is there any good suggestion?

there neds to be more here on the evolution of the object, the toothbrush...

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> I don't think an encyclopedia needs to have a discussion board about which toothbrush is better. Or am I wrong?

Toothbrush Care

I am not sure what you all think, but let me give you this suggestion. Wouldn't it be good to describe how to care for a toothbrush? For example: replace every 3 or so months let toothbrush air dry by having them stand up Sanitize a toothbrush by using antiseptic mouthwash or 3% hydrogen peroxide.

i was thinking what did people use in the industrial revoloution? Most people said queen victoria used sugar cane!
  lol utterly lame.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 165.21.155.111 (talk) 14:30, 30 May 2008 (UTC)