Odyssey of the Hero of Oral Hygiene: the Electric Toothbrush

In the heart of a bustling factory in 1939, an assembly line hums with energy, giving birth to me – the mighty hero of oral hygiene, the electric toothbrush. Originally created for those undergoing orthodontic treatment and with limited motor skills, I emerged as a beacon of innovation during the tumultuous era of World War II, offering cleanliness to thousands of lives across the nation. As the nineteenth century unfolded, the need for adequate dental care became apparent, and I emerged as a tool for communities to address these challenges — challenges that, in actuality, transcend the borders of the United States. According to the World Health Organization, an estimated 3.5 billion individuals suffer from an oral disease, 3 out of 4 living in middle-income countries (“Oral health,” 2023). Concurrently, there has also been a 14.6% increase in dental caries over the last decade (Peckham & Awofeso, n.d.). It is for these reasons that I am critical to the well-being of nations around the globe – but I owe my life to the dedication of various engineers.

My existence first began with the collection and alteration of raw materials obtained from numerous sources. My body and head, for example, are meticulously crafted from minerals obtained through the extraction of crude oil and natural gas. Yielding hydrocarbon-rich resources, foundational to the organic chemicals ethylene and propylene – the essential building blocks of the polyethylene and polypropylene plastics – this operation is one of many that forms me. After a series of chemical reactions, these two materials evolve fully into the versatile and resilient compounds that constitute my bare structure. Moreover, I am made up of rubber that safeguards my electrical components, including my batteries, motor, and wiring. Derived from petrochemicals, this material is sourced similarly to those in my handle. I am also equipped with Nickel-Cadmium batteries, acquired chiefly through lithium mining, while my wiring is typically crafted from copper, sourced from mining, and my motor is made of aluminum. My bristles are made up of nylon, obtained from a reaction involving carbon-based chemicals found in coal and oil and utilizing approximately 0.37 MJ of energy for me. Additionally, the electrical coils hidden behind my casing are created by winding a conductive metal wire around an insulator but are first acquired from metals obtained by mining (“Electric Toothbrush – Design Life-Cycle,” n.d.).

Once these items are collected, various individuals, including industry workers and mechanical, electrical, quality assurance, and logistic engineers, collaborate to create, transport, and distribute me, making use of cutting-edge technologies and devices. Designers first come together to create one tentative model, considering current consumer trends, user demographics, and medical research – this work sets the stage for the subsequent steps in my manufacturing. Afterward, electrical engineers, using their knowledge of circuitry, ensure that the integration of my motor, battery, and gearing in my casing aligns with the envisioned model of the designers before them. Mechanical engineers then oversee the molding of my handle, attempting to optimize my size and shape for optimal cleaning efficiency. In this step, resin beads undergo an operation known as injection molding, guaranteeing that my mold and cores are effective and durable for customers. Once my handle is made, mechanical engineers then oversee the formation and arrangement of my bristles to verify their security within my structure - this requires immense collaboration between both electrical and mechanical engineers, with electrical engineers ensuring that electrical components, aside from my motor and battery, are encased in my handle and work as intended and mechanical engineers validating my functionality and the impact of my vibrations on gum health. Both disciplines work side by side in order to furnish me, a fully-working brush. Under the eyes of quality assurance engineers, I am almost ready to be distributed; this diverse team conducts various tests on me to guarantee compliance with industry standards and safety regulations. Enacting various noise and drop tests, these engineers certify I generate minimal noise and face little to no damage when I come into contact with level surfaces (Lawrence, n.d.). Once I am built, a team of logistics engineers ensures I am brought from the assembly line to a distribution center, so I can live my life on the shelf of a supermarket or drugstore before I am bought. Once in the hands of a child or an adult, my chief aim is to improve their dental health and offer a more effective alternative to traditional, manual toothbrushes. My brushing modes are specialized for both sensitive teeth and whitening benefits, whereas my oscillating motions ensure that every inch of every tooth is covered, in a manner efficient for the user (“Electric Toothbrush Market Size & Share Analysis,” n.d.).

My life took a drastic turn in 2020 – the cyclical routine I had known for so long, from being devised in the factory to being transported to a local store, had been virtually devastated. As a result of virus-related disruptions, creating me became extraordinarily difficult, and a great amount of innovation was needed to overcome challenges. At the height of COVID-19, there was a notable rise in the demand for hygiene and wellness supplies. In fact, data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis illustrates an increase in sales for health and hygiene goods specifically between April and December 2020 – this trend, however, was also accompanied by an overall decline in the dental care industry, largely because of factory shutdowns for the implementation of infection control measures. Delaying manufacturing, these closures exacerbated shortages in the supply chain, affecting most engineering operations. Moreover, meeting the mandated health guidelines in offices, including mask-wearing and disinfection measures, entailed additional costs to my assembly. As borders closed and transportation became unreliable, logistic engineers, as well as other employees in charge of distribution, had to alter their former ideas. While the virus did immensely hurt the efficiency of the toothbrush industry, it also fostered more innovation and collaboration between individuals, chiefly engineers, allowing for the optimization of factory operations and a demonstration of adaptability and resilience in work (“Toothbrush Market Trends & Share | Growth Analysis [2030],” n.d.).

Once I have fulfilled my duty to my users, I am usually thrown out. In more ideal circumstances, I am sent to a recycling facility, managed by environmental engineers, to be disposed of in a safe manner, with my reusable components being salvaged. My metal components and structure are extracted for reuse, while my batteries undergo various recycling methods to avoid the entry of hazardous waste in the environment (“Electric Toothbrush – Design Life-Cycle,” n.d.).

As my materials experience a transformation into new forms, being transported to other areas through the use of fossil fuels, I bear witness to an aspect of sustainability ingrained in engineering, understanding that, as long as engineers continue to collaborate and work toward innovative solutions, I can remain a timeless symbol of advancement and hope in dental health for countries around the world.