You use one thing in your bathroom every day that is just as essential to your health as it is a threat to your health. This item is your toothbrush. For the most part, your toothbrush is a crucial item that is very helpful in maintaining good dental hygiene. It cuts back on the plaque and bacteria in your mouth and helps keep your smile beautiful.
However, if you don’t change your toothbrush regularly, it becomes less effective in helping you maintain good dental hygiene and health.
Keep reading to explore why you should change out your toothbrush often.
What Happens to Your Toothbrush After Use
As you may know, a toothbrush isn’t designed to last forever. As with any other hygiene product that comes into contact with the mouth, skin, or other body parts, replacing them at regular intervals is a good idea. Toothbrushes go bad, just like other items. That’s why it is a good idea to replace them often.
Why You Should Change Your Toothbrush Often
If you can’t remember the last time you used a new toothbrush, then now is a good time to stop and get a new one. As a matter of fact, it’s probably a good idea to grab a pack of four or more because it is essential that you switch out your toothbrush every three months. Here are a few reasons why it is critical for you to change your toothbrush often.
Bad Bristles
One of the main reasons you should change your toothbrush regularly is that the bristles can fray. The bristles of a toothbrush or designed to get deep into the crevices of your teeth and gums to help get rid of plaque and food lodged in them. However, when bristles are bent and otherwise out of shape, they are no longer effective at getting between your teeth and cleaning your gum line.
Bacteria
Another great reason you should change your toothbrush regularly is that your toothbrush can be a significant source of germs and bacteria. Every day your mouth becomes filled with good and bad bacteria, typically from the food you eat. These harmful and good bacteria make their way into your gut biome. Increased amounts of bad bacteria can lead to sickness, tooth decay, and periodontal disease.
Toothpaste helps clean the harmful bacteria in your mouth as you brush two to three times a day. Essentially, it helps keep your mouth and digestive system relatively healthy. However, if you aren’t switching out your brush regularly, bacteria and germs can stick to your toothbrush and start infecting your mouth and your digestive system with disease and viruses.
When Toothbrushes Should Be Replaced More Than Regularly
Although it is a good idea to switch out your toothbrush every three months, there are sometimes when you may need to switch your toothbrush much more often than this. Check out these few reasons why you should replace a toothbrush more regularly.
When Children Use Them
Small children tend to get sick quite often. As a result, children are very vulnerable to viruses and germs that accumulate on the toothbrush. So, if you have small children, it is a good idea to replace their toothbrushes every one to two months consistently.
You’ve Been Sick Recently
Another great reason to replace your toothbrush is if you have experienced sickness lately. Your mouth crawls with germs and bacteria regularly. And sickness increases them. Just because you no longer have the virus or disease you recently experienced doesn’t mean that bits of it aren’t lurking on your toothbrush. Therefore, if you have recently experienced sickness, especially a virus, it is a good idea to replace your toothbrush.
Someone Stores Their Brush Near Yours
While it isn’t necessary for you to be a germaphobe, it is a good idea to replace your toothbrush more often than three months if you store it near someone else’s. People who have shared bathrooms tend to have a shared toothbrush compartment. As a result, germs and bacteria may inadvertently get on your toothbrush. If you have a toothbrush that sits in proximity to someone else’s, it is a good idea to replace your toothbrush more often than the recommended three months.
Should You Replace Sonic Brushes Regularly?
You may wonder whether you need to replace your electric toothbrush regularly. The answer is a resounding yes. Although it may have much more cleaning power than traditional toothbrushes because of its sonic movement, this doesn’t mean it has much more protection against viruses or germs.
These types of toothbrushes need replacement just as often as a traditional toothbrushes. Keep in mind you don’t have to replace the entire toothbrush. Many retailers and online stores offer replacement heads for these types of toothbrushes. Consider replacing your electric toothbrush every four months.
As you prepare to toss out your old toothbrush, remember to make plans to visit your dentist. Have you had your six-month checkup? If not, contact our Walled Lake Dental office to schedule your dental visit to keep your smile healthy and bright.
Our full-service dental clinic is more than general dentistry. Dr Hechtman provides cosmetic dentistry including dental veneers as well as dental treatments such as dental implants. If you are looking for dental care you can trust, we are the perfect choice!