Dental professionals may recommend changing your toothbrush once every three months. Even the American Dental Association (ADA) also recommends that you must replace your toothbrush every 3-4 months or even before if the bristles of your brush are frayed. Irrespective of the type of toothbrush you use – manual or electric, its bristles can become frayed and may lose effectiveness.
Several clinical studies show that a new toothbrush is more efficient and can adequately remove more plaque than a worn-out toothbrush, ensuring that the brush works at its best to keep your teeth clean and healthy. The McKinney TX dentist believes that changing a toothbrush also depends on usage, health, and preferences. While brushing every day, check your brush and ask yourself whether you need a toothbrush or if your existing toothbrush is good enough for a few more days.
What Are The Types Of Toothbrush?
Mainly, there are two types of toothbrushes to consider – manual and electric. You can choose any of them as per your comfort and what makes you brush your teeth regularly and thoroughly. Though they differ, the manual brush is portable, affordable, and ready to use whenever you need it. The manual toothbrush doesn’t make any noise, and you can control the pressure on your teeth and gums.
On the other hand, an electric toothbrush is quite cumbersome to take wherever you go and requires charging after every use. The rotating movement of the bristles makes cleaning between the gum line and the teeth easier. The built-in sensors in some electric toothbrushes ensure you don’t have to press too hard to brush your teeth for long.
When Should You Change Your Brush?
When your food, medicines, or supplements expire, you throw them and get the new one. But when it comes to maintaining dental hygiene, we fail to give it as much attention or thought as other areas of our other hygiene regimen.
As already mentioned, ADA recommends changing your toothbrush every 3 months as your toothbrush goes through normal wear and tear and becomes less effective in removing plaque and cleaning your teeth. Moreover, valley creek family dentistry believes that toothbrush bristles break down and lose effectiveness.
Also, you must take care of your brush; otherwise, its bristles can develop bacteria. Rinse off and dry your toothbrush thoroughly. Please keep it in an upright position and away from other used toothbrushes. When traveling, cover your toothbrush head to protect it and reduce exposure to germs. Sometimes, you can’t remember exactly when you started using it. In that case, you have to pay attention to the condition of your toothbrush head and check if its bristles are in good condition or if they are worn out or frayed, especially if you see a color change, which is a sign of mold.
What Will Happen If You Do Not Change Your Brush Often Enough?
Knowing that bacteria and fungus accumulate on your toothbrush bristles over time, you must replace your toothbrush; otherwise, you may experience different issues. Using a manifested toothbrush may involve several risks and uninviting health problems. You may experience damaged gums as the old toothbrush cannot remove plaque effectively from your teeth, leading to Gingivitis. Untreated Gingivitis may lead to infection and cause your teeth to fall out.
You can get sick from using an unappealing, overused, and dirty toothbrush as it can grow mold or contain unwanted particles if stored near a toilet.
That’s why it becomes necessary to check your teeth by Valley Creek dental professionals to ensure they are in good condition.
Things To Consider While Shopping For Products To Maintain Dental Hygiene
Always talk to your dentist about the next dental checkup and the dental cleaning essentials you should base on your individual needs, particularly dental health.
According to professionals, one must choose a toothbrush with soft bristles, as hard bristles can damage your teeth and gums.
Always prefer to choose a fluoride containing toothpaste approved by ADA and consider using mouthwash to remove any plaque and Gingivitis further. Don’t forget to floss.
If you wish to keep your toothbrush in good condition for a long, follow these tips:
Always keep your toothbrush in a place where it doesn’t come in contact with the head of other toothbrushes in the family.
Always rinse it after brushing your teeth.
Never store it in a closed container, as it can create an ideal environment for growing bacteria and mold.
Never share your toothbrush with anybody.
Never clean your toothbrush using soap, disinfectant, and mouthwash.
Still have some doubts, don’t worry. Visit Valley Creek Dental Care and talk to the experts. We will definitely guide you on the best way to maintain dental hygiene. Apart from providing dental knowledge, we help our patients through dental procedures like veneers, emergency dental solutions, all on 4 implants, and Invisalign tx. For more information, feel free to call or email us.