How Often Do I Need To Replace My Tooth Brush

How Often Do I need to Replace My Tooth Brush

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How often should you Replace your Toothbrush? Now that is a question and a half for most people! Well, following are some signs that your toothbrush needs replacing and the first one is so obvious, we don’t know why we are mentioning it but we just want to be sure we are covering all the bases:

-Every 4 to 6 weeks: You must Replace Your Toothbrush this often if you have gum disease as it will retain bacteria in the bristles. -When the shaft breaks or bends: A broken shaft is nearly impossible to brush with and a bent shaft may result in arm manipulations that could cause muscle pain. -When it is 3 months old: A toothbrush over 3 months old has a reduced capacity to remove plaque. -When the bristles start falling out: This could result in you changing it before 3 months especially if you have braces. -When the bristles change color: Some toothbrushes are designed this way to remind you to change your brush or it could just be changing color because it is too old. -When the bristles go soft: When the bristles are soft they cannot remove the plaque properly. -After you have been sick: This is when germs stick to the brush and you do not want to get sick again. -If it has fallen on the ground: Obviously this will cause a collection of germs that you just do not want in your mouth. -If it has been used by anyone but you: You just never know what someone else is carrying and you don’t want to catch it. -If it falls in the toilet or sink: Now this one is so obvious that we don’t even have to tell you about the germs there, but your kids may need to be reminded of this often! A toothbrush that falls into a dirty sink is also a good candidate for replacement. -If it has been used for ANYTHING other than brushing YOUR teeth: Just check back above to see all the reasons for throwing it out now! -If you’ve taken it travelling or to the cottage: This is a convention centre of germs that you do not want to bring home with you. With an electric toothbrush, you do not have to Replace Your Toothbrush but you do need to replace the heads once every three months as the head action wears away and you do not get the same amount of plaque removal. Having said that, some rechargeable toothbrushes have excellent brush heads that you only have to change once every 6 months. Finding the right brush when you need to Replace Your Toothbrush can be a very difficult task due to the following reasons: Hard Bristles can cause your gums to bleed Medium bristles are usually just right for most people Soft Bristles are best if you teeth and gums are very sensitive but they may not exert enough friction on your teeth to clean properly or remove plaque. Dentists all agree that your BEST toothbrush is one that you will USE. Now we offer you some pro’s and con’s for the manual toothbrush versus the electric toothbrush but you must choose which one is best for you when you need to Replace Your Toothbrush. We recommend that you brush your teeth at least twice a day for 2-3 minutes each time so you need to decide what kind would be better and lead you to do this. Manual Toothbrush: Pros: -Inexpensive -Most have an easy grip handle -Some come with a tongue Scraper -Easy to travel with Cons: -No built in timer to tell you when two minutes are up -Can be difficult for some people to hold onto firmly Electric Toothbrush: Pros: -Most have larger ergonomic handles -Some have built in times that let you know when two minutes are up -The feel and buzzing of it feels good to a lot of people -Some electric toothbrushes dispense tooth paste Cons: -Some can be quite expensive -It takes up space with germs spraying everywhere, the counter may not be the best location to store it, and certainly not near the toilet! -Most require charging or battery replacement Everyone has different preferences so it is good to have a variety of toothbrushes to choose from when you need to Replace Your Toothbrush. There are also disposable toothbrushes that you can use for overnight trips, going to a cottage or just out for the day and don’t want to bring your regular one with you. Now if you have dentures you must not use regular toothbrushes on them as they may scratch because they are made either from acrylic resin or a combination of resin and metals. They still require the same care as regular teeth and must be brushed at least twice daily to maintain their appearance and prevent wear and tear. Use a specially designed denture brush and denture tablets not toothpaste – to keep them free of bacteria, stains, tartar and deterioration. Now that we have given you some basic information on toothbrushes, if it is past 3 months, take some action now! Be sure to consider all of the above information when it is time to Replace Your Toothbrush!

Stephan Bevan writes for Dr.Jesse Chai: www.bradfordfamilydentist.ca. To learn more about

dental hygiene

and general tooth and gum care, visit our extensive website of over 80 pages of useful tips, resources and videos that will help you to understand the treatments and procedures used to maintain and restore the health of your teeth and gums.

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How Often Do I need to Replace My Tooth Brush