How Often Should You Change Your Toothbrush?

With good oral hygiene practice, you are probably brushing at least twice a day for two minutes, using mouthwash, and flossing daily. But, have you wondered how often should you change your toothbrush? How to take care of it? Or even any risk of not having good dental care?

It's really important to know this information because continuing to use an old, tattered toothbrush can lead to oral health issues that can be easily avoidable by changing brushes on a regular basis.

How often should you change your toothbrushes?

Your toothbrush is the most important part of your oral health routine as it is the one in charge of removing the remaining bacteria in your mouth preventing a lot of dental problems like tooth decay.

Not only does brushing your teeth help prevent tooth decay, but it also helps prevent gum disease, which is one of the leading causes of tooth loss in adults and has been linked to heart attacks and strokes.

Algodones dentists  recommend changing your toothbrush every three to four months to maintain good oral hygiene. As you may know, toothbrushes are not meant to last forever, and with daily use, their bristles tend to fray or even fall off, causing looseness of effectiveness.

A new toothbrush with straight bristles is the best alternative to remove bacteria from your mouth, preventing tooth decay and other dental problems. Using the same toothbrush for more than four months can negatively affect your oral health and leave your mouth open to bacteria and infection.

How often should you change an electric toothbrush?

Electric toothbrush heads clean your teeth and mouth by quickly rotating or vibrating. These types of toothbrushes still have nylon bristles that wear after regular use, however as those bristles are shorter, they tend to fray more quickly than on regular brushes.

You should only use electric toothbrush heads for a maximum of 12 weeks, or even earlier. You need to watch out for signs of wear on the bristles to know when is the right time to replace it with a new one.

Should children change their toothbrushes more often than adults?

Yes! Children should have their toothbrushes changed more often than adults. As kids tend to bite the toothbrush or squeeze the bristles with their teeth, the toothbrush can lose its effectiveness earlier.

It’s really important to teach our kids how to properly brush and floss their teeth, to create a good oral hygiene routine to prevent any dental problem in the future. You can learn more about how to teach children to have a good oral routine here.

How to take care of your toothbrush?

Taking care of our toothbrush is crucial as it makes direct contact with the inside of our mouth. Not having the right care with it, can lead to different diseases as bacteria can enter our mouth.

After brushing, rinse your toothbrush completely with water and let it dry upright in a container or cup. If there’s more than one toothbrush in the same container, don’t let the heads or bristles touch one another.

You don’t need a special closed container to keep your toothbrush clean when it’s not in use. However, when traveling, it is recommended that you either pack a travel toothbrush or a plastic toothbrush holder that protects the bristles from being flattened in transit.

You should also change your toothbrush whenever you or a family member has been sick to decrease any risk of reinfection, especially with the current sanitary situation with COVID-19.

Avoid at all cost-sharing your toothbrush with friends, partners, or members of your immediate family. Even if anyone else uses your toothbrush by mistake, get rid of it. It’s better to be safe than sorry, and everyone’s mouth harbors different bacteria than yours.

Extra tips to keep a healthy mouth

Remember that brushing your teeth is not everything you need to do to maintain a good oral health routine. Dentists recommend that having a balanced diet can also promote healthy teeth and gums.

A balanced eating plan that includes fruits, vegetables, protein foods, grains, and dairy provides essential nutrients for optimum oral health as well as overall health.

Some recommended food for optimum oral health care:

• Calcium-rich foods, such as low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt and cheese, and fortified soymilk help promote strong teeth and bones.
• Phosphorus, a mineral found in eggs, fish, lean meat, dairy, nuts, and beans is good for strong teeth.
• Vitamin C promotes gum health, so eat plenty of sources, including citrus fruits, tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, potatoes, and spinach.

Los Algodones Dentists

In addition to a good oral health routine, having regular visits to the dentists is very important. You should go to the dentists for cleanings and regular checkups at least twice a year. In your visit, dentists will not only remove calculus and look for cavities, but they will also spot any potential issues and offer treatment solutions.

Sani Dental Group is one of the largest and most professional clinics in Los Algodones Mexico, and for more than 35 years, many people have come to enjoy the high-quality treatments and services offered in our facilities.

Our clinic and staff can provide you with many treatment options that will fit your budgets, such as lodging promos for the best hotels in town or free and exclusive shuttle services.

Contact us if you have any doubts about our treatments and procedures or if you are ready to schedule your appointment.

We have a team of patient coordinators that will gladly assist you and provide you a free quote for your next dental treatment.