Heskett: meaning and significance

Heskett-Meaning and Significance

Toothbrushes have been around for ages and their design and effectiveness altered through time, in compliance with people's needs in terms of these features. Technology has made it possible for a great deal of tools to be perfected, the toothbrush being no exception from the rule. This is not surprising, considering that evolutionary physics promotes the concept that tools develop "in response to their elements" (Heskett, 24).

The process of choosing a good toothbrush is very difficult today, since one has to choose from a varied range of such instruments, each with his unique features that either increase its attractiveness or not. Everyone knows that in order for a toothbrush to accomplish its role with success it has to have material characteristics that allow its bristles to stay operational even after several uses. A toothbrush is normally considered to become unable to accomplish its purpose after three months of use. This rule is not unbreakable, since most people replace their toothbrushes faster, when they believe that the tools are no longer capable to complete their job. In order to discover exactly when a toothbrush loses its effectiveness, one has to verify it the bristles are still in their original position, if its color has faded, and if it is not uneasy to use it. Toothbrush bristles today come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors, making it difficult for people to realize which is best for what they want. I am normally fond of toothbrushes that have soft bristles, given that this means that they are not uncomfortable and that they can serve their mission well. It is not possible for me to verify if a particular toothbrush has soft bristles before I decide to buy it, since toothbrushes are sealed. This means that I have to go through several types of toothbrushes before I decide what to buy next time I walk into the store.

A toothbrush handle that "fits comfortably in hand, providing a good, firm grip" (Heskett 27) contributes to making a particular type of such instrument seem likable to individuals. A toothbrush's shape can make it more effective, thus making a person feel like the tool is part of their lives, fitting perfectly into their hands and assisting them in washing their teeth with great accuracy.

Seeing the wide range of toothbrushes presently existing on the market, it is obvious that toothbrush design are not only meant to provide customers with efficacy in washing their teeth, as the tools are also designed so as for them to appeal to customers before they actually decide to buy them. In spite of this, most toothbrush designers focused on the tool's utility, rather than on its design, since it is perfectly normal for people to be interested in its function more than in its shape and color. Ornamental patterns can always seem attracting, often influencing the individual in choosing beauty over function. Even with that, it is likely that most people will concentrate on a tool's utility as they realize that beauty cannot always be associated with function.