⚠️This fact has been debunked
Widely repeated claim but no verifiable study or source exists. Appears to be internet folklore about consumer preferences that spread without evidence.
The claim that 'more people use blue toothbrushes than red ones' is a widely repeated internet fact that has no verifiable source or study to support it.
The Blue Toothbrush Myth: A Fact With No Source
You've probably seen this "fun fact" floating around the internet: more people use blue toothbrushes than red ones. It appears on trivia websites, social media posts, and even some dental office posters. There's just one problem—nobody knows where this claim actually came from.
Despite being repeated across countless websites, there's no verifiable study, survey, or market research that supports this toothbrush color preference claim. No dental association has published data on it. No consumer research firm has tracked it. It's a statistical claim without statistics.
The Anatomy of an Internet Fact
The blue toothbrush claim is a perfect example of how unsourced information spreads online. One website publishes it without citation, another copies it, and soon it's "common knowledge." The fact that it's specific (blue vs. red, not just "blue is popular") makes it sound researched and authoritative.
It's also the kind of claim that's hard to disprove. Toothbrush manufacturers don't typically publish color-specific sales data. Even if they did, preferences vary by country, brand, and year. Someone could theoretically verify this—but apparently, nobody has.
What We Actually Know About Toothbrush Preferences
Real market research focuses on features that actually matter:
- Bristle firmness (soft, medium, hard)
- Manual vs. electric (electric toothbrush sales have grown significantly)
- Head size and shape
- Eco-friendly materials (bamboo handles, recyclable components)
As for color? It's mostly a non-factor in purchasing decisions. People choose toothbrushes based on price, brand recommendation, and functional features—not whether the handle is blue or red.
Why This Matters
The blue toothbrush myth is harmless, but it illustrates a bigger problem: how easily misinformation spreads when it sounds plausible. A claim doesn't need evidence if it's trivial enough that nobody bothers to check. And once it's on enough websites, it achieves a kind of false legitimacy through repetition.
So the next time you see a specific, confident-sounding statistic without a source? Maybe don't trust it. Even if it's about something as mundane as toothbrush colors.