The Surprisingly Ancient History of the Toothbrush

You use it every single day… but do you know where the toothbrush actually comes from? From 5,000-year-old chew sticks used by ancient Egyptians and Babylonians, to pig hair bristles in ancient China, to a British prisoner who sparked the global toothbrush revolution —the history of this simple object is far stranger than you think.
In today’s video, we explore:
The first “chew stick” toothbrushes from 3000 BCE
How ancient China invented the first bristle brush
Why Europe refused early toothbrushes
The prisoner who created the first modern toothbrush
The horrifying early versions of toothpaste
How nylon bristles replaced pig hair
And how the toothbrush became the world’s most-used hygiene tool
If you love discovering the origins of everyday objects,
this channel explores the hidden history behind simple things —
and you’ll be surprised how many ordinary items have incredible histories.
Tell us in the comments:
What everyday object should we uncover next?
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