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LIMA, Ohio - A dentist whose 14-foot toothbrush was pulled from the yard in front of his office is grinning again.

A motorist spotted the red wooden toothbrush Thursday behind a business a few houses down from Dr. Ruhl Warden's dental practice. Warden gladly paid a $100 reward for its return. "I had high expectations I would get it back," he said. "It's hard to hide a 14-foot toothbrush."

The toothbrush was stolen last weekend. Warden has used it as a yard sign for about 20 years. Warden, 74, thinks someone took it as a prank and then brought it back overnight. It looked a little banged up, but won't need any major surgery.

"Different people have tried to have fun with this," he said. "Someone called and said he was Paul Bunyan and he was looking for a toothbrush."

Police don't have any suspects.

Warden, whose hobby is woodworking, crafted the toothbrush out of yellow pine and the bristles from 10-inch-long cedar poles. It weighs between 80 and 100 pounds.

It's not the first time Warden has seen his giant toothbrush disappear. Someone stole it the morning of New Year's Eve 1996. It eventually turned up, damaged and painted blue, about six miles from his office.


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