# What color is your toothbrush? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 4, 2000, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-color-is-your-toothbrush/24566 "2000-07-04T17:53:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![JimmyNipples](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb9ed0/32.png) [@JimmyNipples](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JimmyNipples)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2000, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-color-is-your-toothbrush/24566/21 "2000-07-05T12:57:08Z")
What the heck is up with **teal** toothbrushes?? The government is involved somehow. Mine is an Oral B Cross Action baby. Teal and White handle with blue and green and white bristles. Medium. I’d like to be alone with my toothbrush now… ---
**Author:** ![as\_u\_wish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/6f9a4e/32.png) [@as\_u\_wish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/as_u_wish)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2000, 1:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-color-is-your-toothbrush/24566/22 "2000-07-05T13:34:58Z")
::::::long nostalgic story told mostly for therapeutic purposes. So just skip to the end for the raw data if you’re in a hurry:::: My toothbrush is red. Why, you may ask, is it red? Well back in 1958 my mom decided to “color code” the kids because, among other reasons, she was sick of fights over who left the damp towel on the floor, etc. My older brother got blue (_the bastard, it’s my favorite color_), I got red (_it could be worse, I’m the only girl, what if it was **pink** _?), and my two younger brothers got green and yellow. Dad and Mom were black and white and **sometimes they switched back and forth.** We had color-coded bath towels, tooth brushes, drinking cups, lunch boxes, boots(!), bathrobes, sheets, pillow cases, slippers. Our sleeping bags were tagged. Our socks had little colored embroidery thread “x’s” on them. We have pictures of us as properly colored ghosts on Halloween, and need I mention our Christmas stockings? It was drilled into our heads. “Just look for your color, you’ll know which is for you.” Every single time I go to buy a toothbrush, I stand in front of the multi-colored array and stare at the choices. I pick up teal brushes. I look longingly at the racing stripes. And I walk away with a plain red toothbrush. And I wonder, am I incapable of change? Is it a psychosis? I don’t even live in the same state as my brothers anymore. What would really happen if I bought a blue toothbrush? Would the sky fall? But, dammit, it’s tradition. And it makes me smile and remember how much I love my mom. And it stopped the fights. Well at least it changed them into "_Hey somebody used **my** towel."_ And I’m proud of my color (even if it isn’t blue). And my kids, naturally, have “their color”–“I’m blue, just like Uncle Scot.” “Yeah, well, I have Uncle David’s color and he says…” “Well, Mom says when I’m 10 I can change my color if I want to, but everyone knows green…” Red. The color of the toothbrush which I hold in my hand is just plain red. ---
**Author:** ![Show\_Biz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/77aa72/32.png) [@Show\_Biz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Show_Biz)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2000, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-color-is-your-toothbrush/24566/23 "2000-07-05T16:54:02Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Myself \* > \*\*And another thing: I use just a pea-sized dallop of paste instead of the incredibly generous portion they serve up in the ads. > > Speaking of exaggeration in ads: did you know that it was an advertising copy writer who put the word “repeat” at the end of the instructions on a shampoo bottle and that it increased consuption (and thereby profits) by 30%!! They don’t “repeat” at the beauty parlor do they?\*\* Myself - I’ve read the “pea-sized” advice a lot, and think it must be wrong. I use a gritty toothpaste (Crest with extra whitening), and if I start with pea-size the grit is gone before I get very far. The problem is the Laurel Sulfate that produces all the foam. They could drop foam and I wouldn’t miss it. You are right about the shampoo. Consumer reports did testing on “shampoo, rinse, repeat” and no one found any benefit at all. ---
**Author:** ![Bottle\_of\_Smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Bottle\_of\_Smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bottle_of_Smoke)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2000, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-color-is-your-toothbrush/24566/24 "2000-07-05T17:35:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*\*Look, guys. I formulated the dumbest-assed question I could think of, picked the four people least likely to respond to a question like it, and from these raw materials, crafted that post. \*\* I’d say that the string of replies is proof indeed that no topic is too dumb for this forum. Not that I’m complaining. Oh, my toothbrush is a lovely red and white ergonomically-shaped beauty with a real rubber grip. ---
**Author:** ![Myself](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8491ac/32.png) [@Myself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myself)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2000, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-color-is-your-toothbrush/24566/25 "2000-07-05T18:47:56Z")
Uk, Perhaps you have stumbled upon a question of great social import and simply fail to grok its significance. Much money is spent on the study of the effects of color in everything from fashion to office decor to, well, toothbrushes. Buy two saloons side by side; paint one a red and paint the other a soothing pastel yellow or light green. After a few months compare the amount of booze sold in each. There’s little wonder why your brush is “a lovely red and white ergonomically-shaped beauty with a real rubber grip.” Tsk, tsk… (And just wait until you find out the TRUE significance of the color teal!) Your humble savant, Myself ---
**Author:** ![Myself](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8491ac/32.png) [@Myself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myself)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2000, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-color-is-your-toothbrush/24566/26 "2000-07-05T19:02:24Z")
Opps, sorry. I’m new here and you all look alike. It was DENBO with the red and white brush who deserves the tsk, tsk. IKE has the GREEN one–and we all know what THAT means! I am still, Myself ---
**Author:** ![kasuo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@kasuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kasuo)\ **Post date:** [July 5, 2000, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-color-is-your-toothbrush/24566/27 "2000-07-05T23:05:05Z")
Blue, yo. ---
**Author:** ![JuanDeCuba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a87d85/32.png) [@JuanDeCuba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JuanDeCuba)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2000, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-color-is-your-toothbrush/24566/28 "2000-07-06T01:54:27Z")
Mine is Duke blue, not Carolina Blue. I’m very picky about that kind of thing for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![Oncle\_Biere\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Oncle\_Biere\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oncle_Biere_1)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2000, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-color-is-your-toothbrush/24566/29 "2000-07-07T01:36:30Z")
**I’m with you on Teal. It’s Castro’s plot to corrupt our youth!** Give me the old **Red, White and Blue** of a Yosemite Sam toothbrush any day! Now that’s good living. ---
**Author:** ![Wild\_Card](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba9def/32.png) [@Wild\_Card](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wild_Card)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2000, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-color-is-your-toothbrush/24566/30 "2000-07-07T20:48:54Z")
Mine is natural wood color, oak I guess. Natural bristles, too, pig I guess. ---
**Author:** ![Eo\_Echo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ebca7d/32.png) [@Eo\_Echo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eo_Echo)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2000, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-color-is-your-toothbrush/24566/31 "2000-07-08T02:24:50Z")
The one I use at home is a red Butler Gum. The one I keep in my travel toiletry kit is the same, but blue. ---
**Author:** ![P\_G\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/71c47a/32.png) [@P\_G\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P_G_B)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2000, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-color-is-your-toothbrush/24566/32 "2000-07-09T01:14:03Z")
Do denture brushes count? ---
**Author:** ![Oncle\_Biere](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8baadc/32.png) [@Oncle\_Biere](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oncle_Biere)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2000, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-color-is-your-toothbrush/24566/33 "2000-07-09T23:33:12Z")
My toothbrush is ordinary and clear blue. Mom had the same rule for us. I was blue everything, my brother was red, and Sissy was green, or purple if she could get it. One year everything in her closet was purple, all her shoes, purses, and even doll’s clothes. Now of course, she’s more mature and only wears “heather”, which looks like dusty purple. ---
**Author:** ![Fanny\_May](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3be4f8/32.png) [@Fanny\_May](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fanny_May)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2000, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-color-is-your-toothbrush/24566/34 "2000-07-09T23:43:09Z")
I’m sure I saw that Cecil answer too, probably when he was preoccupied with world hunger or flatulance. Maybe **Ukulele Ike** was told it had to be removed for giving away some of Cecil’s secrets. He is a private man after all. Oh, and mine is not important. I’m sure it has a color, but I never choose it. My dentist’s assistant does. I have a special “senior” one with both a clapper to turn it on, and a button to yell “I’ve fallen and I can’t get up!” ---
**Author:** ![Edwardina](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Edwardina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Edwardina)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2000, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-color-is-your-toothbrush/24566/35 "2000-07-10T16:15:02Z")
My toothbrush is purple when I can get it, otherwise, I’ll go for the most brightest, jadest, shiniest, most obnoxiosest green I can find. I’d love to have a black toothbrush, but that seems like such a strong statement to make . . . 🙂 I have noticed that as I get on in years, I’m more and more attracted to the high tech toothbrushes. I hate new toothbrushes, also, so maybe part of my brain is trying to compensate by starting out with the one that has the most bells and whistles. ---
**Author:** ![nashiitashii](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7c8e57/32.png) [@nashiitashii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nashiitashii)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2000, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-color-is-your-toothbrush/24566/36 "2000-07-10T20:57:01Z")
I like to have clear or clear glittery toothbrushes most of the time, but other than that, I really don’t care what my toothbrush looks like. I prefer regular bristles and a regular head. Rubber grips or strips are nice also. ---
**Author:** ![Sangria](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/87869e/32.png) [@Sangria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sangria)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2000, 6:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-color-is-your-toothbrush/24566/37 "2000-07-11T06:13:37Z")
Mine has a metal handle, but I hate it because it’s cold to the touch. But it came as part of a gift set from one of my brothers with some other brushes, so I have to use it for a while. ---
**Author:** ![Bluemonchichi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@Bluemonchichi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bluemonchichi)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2000, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-color-is-your-toothbrush/24566/38 "2000-07-11T08:32:43Z")
Imagine this… mine is BLUE! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Soupy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@Soupy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soupy)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2000, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-color-is-your-toothbrush/24566/39 "2000-07-16T08:34:38Z")
I dug out the other colored bands for my replacement head. Today blue, next week yellow, and THEN RED. Who said I can’t live on the edge! ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2000, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-color-is-your-toothbrush/24566/40 "2000-07-16T17:57:18Z")
Mine is blue at the moment. Usually it’s green, but when we were away on business last week the person who was staying at our apartment cat-sitting for us accidentally dropped mine somewhere icky while getting out the toothpaste, so he was kind enough to replace it before we returned. I’m willing to forgive him his taste in colors! 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-color-is-your-toothbrush/24566.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-color-is-your-toothbrush/24566.md?page=3)