How Often Should I Replace My Toothbrush?

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Do you remember when you last replaced your toothbrush? Or how often you replace it? Most household things have an indicator that lets us know when it’s time to replace them: the alarm system makes a loud beeping noise when the battery needs to be replaced, the light flickers when the bulb needs to be replaced, etc.

But how do we know when it’s time to replace our toothbrush?

A good rule of thumb to follow is to replace your toothbrush every three months. At three months, the toothbrush bristles will be too worn down to effectively clean our teeth. Even if they may not look worn down, everyday use may have caused significant fungi and bacteria build-up in between the bristles of the toothbrush. If you don’t replace your toothbrush, you can get sick.

Tips and Recommendations for Toothbrush Care:

1. Replace your manual toothbrush or electric toothbrush head every 3 months. Worn down bristles are NOT effective at cleaning our teeth, which can lead to gingivitis or gum disease.
2. Make sure to rinse your toothbrush carefully with water after EVERY use. Our mouths have millions of bacteria, which we then transfer to our toothbrush. If it’s not washed and AIR-DRIED properly, residual bacteria can build up and get you sick.
3. Go to Costco and buy the bulk toothbrush and toothbrush heads! This will make it easier to replace because all you have to do is reach down under the sink when it’s time to replace your toothbrush.
4. When you travel, make sure your toothbrush is well-protected. You don’t want to introduce foreign bacteria into the toothbrush bristles.

For more information and questions about oral health, visit BMEDental.com!