How Often To Replace Your Toothbrush
How Often To Replace Your Toothbrush
Can you think of the last time you replaced your toothbrush? We are conscious of throwing out expired foods, restocking supplements or vitamins, and beauty products are replaced quite often. Health and beauty gets more attention in our regimen than dental hygiene. Keep in mind, there are many rules and important tips that you should be following in order to maintain good dental health.
When To Replace Your Toothbrush
The ADA (American Dental Association) recommends replacing your toothbrush every three months. As time progresses, your toothbrush will undergo normal wear and tear which ultimately makes it less effective in removing plaque from your teeth and gums. Research has found that bristle break down and lose effectiveness around the 3 month mark.
GERMS! Germs can hide and build up in your toothbrush bristles. This is a consideration that we don’t typically think about, or probably just don’t like thinking about. You should also replace your tooth brush after you have been sick, this prevents the possible risk of reinfections.
Your should take proper care of your tooth brush to prevent fungus and bacteria buildup. After you brush your teeth, you should rinse off and dry your toothbrush thoroughly. Store it in an uncovered, upright position, keeping it away from other used toothbrushes. If you are traveling, you should cover the head of the toothbrush to help protect it and reduce the spread of germs.
You should pay close attention to your toothbrush condition. Look to see if the bristles are worn out, fan out, or frayed. If you seek dark spots or dark color changes, this could be an indication of mold.
What Happens If I Don’t Change My Toothbrush Often Enough?
Not changing your toothbrush can lead to many risks including: Gum damage, ineffectiveness to clean or remove plaque from your teeth, which can lead to gingivitis. Leaving gingivitis untreated can lead to infection, which may cause loose teeth or even your teeth to fall out.
You can even get sick from using an over used toothbrush. This is because of the bacteria and fungus and can build up over time. Your toothbrush is capable of growing mold which you can ingest if you store near a toilet.
I don’t know about you, but I’m going to go change my toothbrush right now and schedule a deep cleaning with my dentist.
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