Dr Lenief Toothbrush

Behold the first (almost) antique toothbrush in ADAQ's history collection!

Earlier this year, a generous donation of more than 50 items from the Landsborough Museum in the Sunshine Coast added to the significance of our dental history collection. One of the highlights is certainly this 1920-1930s French toothbrush. 

The brush has a metal handle and body with replaceable head. From what remains of the tufts, we think they are animal bristles.

Dr Lenief was a French brand popular in the 1920s for its interchangeable brush heads. 

The ivory coloured plastic head is removeable. A groove midway the handle suggests two parts are screwed together, perhaps a mechanism to keep the head in the holder. Engraved on the back of the head base: Dr. Lenief. 

This toothbrush is shorter (14 cm) and slightly heavier than modern products: it weighs 36 grams – today’s plastic toothbrushes are around 15 grams. It is awkward and slippery to hold, with no curvatures to help reach back teeth.

André Lenief patented its invention in 1923.  At a time when toothbrushes were still expensive to purchase, interchangeable heads meant worn and smelly bristles could be discarded but the handles reused. This made it a lot cheaper to keep up with new social requirements for oral hygiene and personal cleanliness. 

The first toothbrush patent is by the American Wadsworth in 1857.  At the beginning, pig bristles and horse hair were mostly used for tufts. Synthetic bristles only appear after 1938, utilising DuPont’s nylon product. 

Plastic handles soon replace all other materials used thus far, which included ivory and various metals.

We don’t know much about Dr Lenief’s success outside of France and Europe. Perhaps a Qld dentist brought home this sample from a trip to Europe?

Interchangeable brush heads are returning to the market. Rather than for hygiene reasons or as money savers, they are touted as more environmentally friendly: reducing plastic pollution and waste from toothbrushes we discard every three months. 

Some designs proposed are strikingly similar to Dr Lenief’s original ideas, with aluminum handle grips and screw-in head.
Thankfully, though, animal bristles for toothbrushing are not experiencing a revival – yet?!