A method and apparatus for assessing the abrasiveness of a brush is provided. The method includes providing a destructible article, providing a brush, such as for example a toothbrush, brushing the destructible article with the toothbrush, examining the destructible article after brushing with the toothbrush and determining the abrasive quality of the toothbrush as a function of the appearance of the destructible article. The apparatus for determining the abrasiveness of a toothbrush includes a holder for retaining a toothbrush having a head and a neck, a support for holding a destructible article, a mechanism for moving the head of the toothbrush against the destructible article in a brushing fashion, and a biasing member for applying a selected brushing force between the head of the toothbrush and the destructible article.