How Often Should You Replace Your Toothbrush?
Tooth brushing plays an important
everyday role for personal oral hygiene and effective plaque removal.
Appropriate toothbrush care and maintenance are also important considerations
for sound oral hygiene. Thanks to constant reminders from dentists (and
nagging parents), we know the golden rule when it comes to keeping our pearly
whites in tip-top shape: Brush twice a day for two minutes and floss
once. But all of that time spent brushing might be a waste if you’re using an
old toothbrush.
If the bristles are splayed or
frayed, they won’t be pointing in the same direction, and they’re not as
effective at cleaning your teeth. Worn bristles mean that even a good
brush could miss plaque and debris, so most dentists recommend replacing your
toothbrush every three months or before wear and tear becomes noticeable. And
yes, these guidelines also apply to replacing the heads of electric
toothbrushes (sorry, wallet!)
Remembering to replace your
toothbrush is easy, even if you don’t have superhuman memory. When you open a
new brush, do some quick math, and write the date you need to bid it adieu at
the bottom of your toothbrush in permanent marker.
Thoroughly rinse toothbrushes with
tap water after brushing to remove any remaining toothpaste and debris. Store
the brush in an upright position if possible and allow the toothbrush to
air-dry until used again. If more than one brush is stored in the same holder
or area, keep the brushes separated to prevent cross-contamination. Do not
routinely cover toothbrushes or store them in closed containers. A moist
environment such as a closed container is more conducive to the growth of
microorganisms than the open air.
One more thing: We don’t need to
lose sleep over bacteria accumulating on the bristles of our toothbrush, which
means there's no need to chuck our brush every time we get sick because
bacteria in the mouth can’t survive a dry environment, so you don't need to go
to extreme measures to sterilize your brush. Just make sure you rinse it after
every use and store it with the bristles facing up in a convenient place where
it can air-dry.
Toothbrush Care: Cleaning, Storing and Replacement.
(November 11). Retrieved February 22, 2018, from
https://www.ada.org/en/about-the-ada/ada-positions-policies-and-statements/statement-on-toothbrush-care-cleaning-storage-and-
I have always been aware that we need to replace our toothbrushes every once in awhile, but I didn't realize it was three months. I am definitely guilty of not always doing that, but now I know for the future! I also didn't realize that the bristles play an important role in knowing whether or not you are getting a good affect. That is definitely good to know.
ReplyDeleteThis might be a dumb question, but how effective is mouthwash? I always hear the dentist talk about brushing and flossing but not as much about mouthwash. Interesting post this week! I never would've thought about this topic.
Rachel Kaiser
I'm glad that you have addressed this issue. If I could insert a face palm emoji, I would. I have been making a mistake for years! I always keep my toothbrush in a container because I thought that would protect it from bacteria, but little did I know, I was helping the bacteria form more quickly! Let me just go ahead and throw the whole toothbrush out now *face palm*. I should most definitely start writing the date down on when I use a freshly new toothbrush so I know when to throw it out. I have went through quite a few toothbrushes, but I've been replacing them every time I start seeing a bristle looking funny, but that's not as good as a strategy as writing out a date. I have a collection of toothbrushes; in fact, I just threw my old toothbrush out a couple of weeks ago... Dang it, I didn't add the date!
ReplyDeleteI literally ordered new heads for my electronic toothbrush after I read this article. I think this article was super readable and practical. I love how you hit on easy steps that people can take in order to improve their oral health. Replacing your toothbrush is definitely an easy-to-forget-about task. The idea of writing its "expiration date" on the toothbrush is a phenomenal tip. It is good for people to be aware of how to properly store a toothbrush. Sickness and bacteria can definitely spread by oral contact and our toothbrushes definitely have an impact on our overall health. Great article!
ReplyDeleteI am about ready to replace my brush. I just bought new heads for my electric brush (two months ago). I regular replace my brush but probably not every three months; more like right after I notice wear and tear. I am guilty of storing my brush improperly. I leave it laying on the ledge in front of the mirror but I think I need to go get a cup so I can stand it up. I also found that the permanent marker tip to be plausible! I might need to find a way to do that for my electric toothbrush. I am curious as to what would be the right kind of tooth paste and when choosing floss, what did we need to know? Is there a benefit to whitening toothpaste? How about flavored floss?
ReplyDeleteThank you for the information, it will be useful!
Woah! I seriously need to replace my toothbrush after reading this....Mine is starting to fray in the bristles. My mom gives me free toothbrushes from her work so I will definitely ask for another one asap. I had no idea that when you are sick the germs don't stay. I always used to change mine after recovering from an illness. Good tip with making sure to keep the toothbrush at an upright position where it can dry off. I see some of my friends put there's in a toothbrush tube and it's steamed up from the bacteria when they pull it out. Gross! Another good tip was writing on the toothbrush to know when to change it out for a new one. I might adopt that habit. Thanks, good post!
ReplyDeleteAshley,
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I honestly think that oral health is SO important, people don't think about their toothbrush (if they use one, hopefully) as much as they should! I was told by my dentist to replace my toothbrush every three months. There are so many germs on your toothbrush, and I know it's gross to think about, but it does go in your mouth, so you should think about it.
Hi Ashley! I'm really happy that you made this post because it lets me know that I'm doing things right when it comes to replacing toothbrushes. It's really good that you spoke about the moist environment because that's an important thing that a lot people do not know about. Something that I wonder about are the 3D white strips. I wonder if it's okay to use 3D white strips? I use 3D white strips and I was told by a group of people that they are not good to use, and I was told by another groups of people that it's okay to use them.
ReplyDeleteYour oral health is very important and yes you should replace your tooth brush. I didn't know that it was every three months so that is something new I learned today. Some people don't replace their tooth brush at all but since I have braces, I know to get a new tooth brush here and there. My Orthodontist doesn't play that! He is always on me about anything regarding to my oral health. Great post Ashley!
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you addressed this problem. I didn't know the importance of replacing your toothbrush until now. I was always taught to brush my teeth twice a day but I didn't know its important to change your toothbrush because of the germs it contains. I am definitely changing my toothbrush every time I can. Thanks for the tips!
ReplyDeleteKayla J.Ruiz