Assembly Line

How electric toothbrushes are made

Electric toothbrushes were first built for people with limited hand control and for patients with braces.

stations
6
things upstream
101
raw sources
32
steps from the ground
9

The short version

An electric toothbrush has a small motor that makes the brush head oscillate or vibrate, a rechargeable battery and a sealed plastic handle. The motor and a small circuit board are fitted into a molded case. Nylon bristles are tufted into the replaceable head, and the handle is sealed against water.

  1. Mold the handle

    Plastic is injected into steel molds to form the two halves of the handle. A soft grip of rubber may be molded over the plastic.

    Goes in
    ABS plasticVulcanized rubber

  2. Wind the motor

    Fine copper wire is wound into coils for a small motor. In a sonic brush the motor drives a rapid back-and-forth motion, and in an ultrasonic brush a piezoelectric crystal vibrates the head.

    Goes in
    Copper wireNeodymium magnet

  3. Build the electronics

    A small circuit board with a chip and a charging coil is soldered. Most modern brushes charge by induction, without any exposed electrical contacts.

    Goes in
    Printed circuit boardMicrochipSolder

  4. Tuft the bristles

    Nylon bristles are inserted into the head and fastened. A computer-guided machine then slices them to length and shape, and the tips are rounded so they will not damage the gums.

    Goes in
    NylonSteel

  5. Fit the battery and seal

    The rechargeable battery, motor and board are set into the handle, and a gasket seals the shaft. The halves are welded together by ultrasound so water cannot get in.

    Goes in
    Lithium-ion cellSilicone

  6. Test the motion

    Each brush is tested for humidity, waterproofing, stability and sound level, with a rig checking its stroke and charging. One maker says its brush has more than 500 individual elements.

End of the lineElectric toothbrush

Worth repeating

  • Electric toothbrushes are grouped by speed as power, sonic or ultrasonic, depending on whether they move below, within or above the audible range.
  • Some brushes are assembled in clean rooms, to keep dust and germs out of a product that goes in the mouth.

Back to the ground

Follow every input upstream and electric toothbrush starts as these 32 raw sources.

AirNatural rubber latexSulfurRare earth oreWaterSilica sandCrude oilNatural gasIron oreCopper oreNickel oreZinc oreLimestoneQuartzTin oreCoalGold oreLead oreSilver oreDolomiteManganese oreLithium brineSpodumeneCobalt oreTimberTitanium oreRock saltTronaBauxiteCornSugarcaneSugar beet

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Sources

Cite this page: "How electric toothbrushes are made." Assembly Line, 2026-11-03. https://assemblyline.org/make/electric-toothbrush

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