It should come as no surprise that you need to replace your toothbrush not only for optimal oral hygiene but also to prevent you from becoming sick. Toothbrushes are a haven for germs, fungus and bacteria. So how often is it recommended to retire that old brush and get a new one?
Under normal circumstances it is recommended that you change your toothbrush every three months.
After a three month period there is just the normal wear and tear breakdown of the bristles so the plaque removing effectiveness becomes diminished. A new toothbrush is 30% more effective at removing plaque than a worn out one.
Special attention should be given to your children’s brushes since the bristles may wear faster because of the way that children brush and also some children have a habit of chewing on the bristles.
If you wear braces, quite naturally you might need also to change your toothbrush more frequently than every three months because the braces can breakdown the bristles faster.
Individuals who have had a cold, flu, sore throat, other upper respiratory or dental infection should replace their toothbrush once the infection has run its course. Failure to do so can lead to being re-infected by germs that are harboring in the bristles.
This may come as a surprise but individuals who are immune compromised or actively taking chemotherapy should change their toothbrush every three days.
If you have two toothbrushes you can alternately disinfect them by making a 1 % sodium hypochlorite solution (1 part bleach, 4 parts water) and soak the toothbrush for 20 hours. Take care that when you store your brushes that they have been rinsed thoroughly, you shake out excess water, they are allowed to air dry and they are not touching another brush in the holder. It is a good investment to have a holder with several slots that the brushes can hang upright for drying.
So the next time you grab that toothbrush…ask you self…when was the last time I made a change…what could be lying between those bristles.
Posted By: Belinda Anderson
Tuesday, November 25th 2008 at 6:02PM
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