It is no surprise that the majority of toothbrushes sold today are manufactured in China. What may surprise one is that the first toothbrush was invented and made in China during the Tang Dynasty (619-907). It was made from boar hair found in northern China because the hair was more thick and stiff in a colder climate. The handle part was either bone, bamboo or wood. In the 1600's the Chinese toothbrushes found their way to Europe where they started to be used, but the Europeans found the boar hair to be too stiff and preferred horse tail hair instead.