Proper oral hygiene ensures harmful residues do not linger on our smiles to create irreversible structural damage. To clean your smile as well as you need to, you know you need to use the right tools. When you run out of floss or toothpaste, you buy replacements to continue adhering to your oral hygiene routine.
But many people do not realize they also need to toss their old toothbrushes and buy new ones as well. Using a low-quality toothbrush could put your oral health in danger. Read on to learn more about the importance of replacing your toothbrush every so often.
What Happens to Your Toothbrush Over Time?
A good toothbrush will have firm bristles attached to an easy-to-maneuver plastic handle. Over time, however, these bristles will wear down and begin to fray. Then they become less capable of scrubbing away plaque and other residues from your smile.
This could mean harmful particles cling to your teeth, eating away at your dental structure and leaving you vulnerable to many dental concerns, including cavities. Your toothbrush also accumulates germs from both your mouth and the surroundings where you store it. Though you rinse your brush before and after your oral hygiene routine, it still collects these toxins.
Therefore, you must get rid of your toothbrush after a while and buy a new one so that you do not get sick. Do not store your toothbrush with a cover over the head to avoid this issue. This will breed bacteria and mold, worsening the problem.
When Should I Buy a New Toothbrush?
The average dental patient should toss their old manual traditional toothbrush and buy a new one every three to four months. This is when the bristles on the brush start to fray, and then you can no longer rely on the toothbrush to get your mouth as clean as you need it to be. Electric toothbrushes have shorter bristles and will need replacement heads more frequently, usually every 12 weeks or so.
If you notice bristles beginning to fray before this established period, you should replace your toothbrush sooner. You should also buy a new toothbrush if you or another member of your household gets sick. Then you ought to toss all the toothbrushes in the house and replace them to stop the spread of disease.
What If I Continue Using an Old Toothbrush?
Sometimes you might forget to buy a new toothbrush. Or maybe you do not think continuing to use an old, worn toothbrush will major impact your smile. But you should know that if you keep brushing with a frayed toothbrush, you could leave harmful residues on your teeth.
Then these can cause severe damage to your tooth enamel, leaving you at risk of many types of dental problems. Use appropriate equipment during your oral hygiene routine to maximize your preventative dental care. Learn more oral hygiene tips by consulting with your dentist either in their office or over the phone.