This couldn’t have been what Englishman William Addis had in mind when he invented the first toothbrush ever to be mass-produced back in 1780.

Back then, people often cleaned their teeth by dipping a rag in a salt solution or sulfur oil while rubbing back and forth. Or, in the case of a lot of people, they just did nothing with their teeth — until they fell out of their mouth and they had to clean them out of the wash basin.

Addis introduced a toothbrush which featured hairs from a cow’s tail attached to the animal’s pared down thighbone.

Today the cow thighbones and hairs are long gone, with toothbrushes now made mostly of plastic and nylon. 

You can even listen to Beyonce while you do it.

Toy maker Hasbro Inc.s Tiger Electronics is unveiling its TOOTHTUNES toothbrush this month, which plays music from pop stars like Black Eyed Peas, Hilary Duff and Beyonce. 

As you brush, the vibrations trigger music which is heard through the inner ear for two minutes, which the American Dental Assocation says is the amount of time needed to effectively brush. In order for the music to play correctly though, brushers have to turn off the water, and maintain a brisk pace while applying the right amount of pressure.

Hasbro said it will launch the toothbrushes this month in the New York market and on www.toothtunes.com. The company also said it will sell TOOTHTUNES nationwide next spring. The battery-powered toothbrushes will cost $9.99 each, the company said.

If only George Washington could see us now.