How Often Do You Change Your Toothbrush?

By Dr. Maryam Brazdo

Nov 05 2012

Your toothbrush plays a major role in maintaining your oral hygiene, it the main tool you use when taking care of your teeth and Artistic Touch Dentist wants to make sure you are changing your toothbrush on a regular basis.

Dr. Maryam Brazdo and Dr. Janice Wahl recommend that you change your toothbrush every three months. Spot On Lists discusses how there are, “studies that show that after this amount of time toothbrushes are much less effective at removing plaque from teeth and gums compared to new ones. Over time, the bristles break down and eventually lose their effectiveness in getting to all those tricky corners around your teeth.” With the cold season right around the corner, it’s important to remember to change your toothbrush after you have had:

A cold
The flu
A mouth infection
A sore throat

The germs from these infections can hide in the bristles of your toothbrush and potentially re-infect you. Many people only switch their toothbrush once or twice a year, but in order to maintain good oral hygiene, it’s best to replace it frequently. However, if you have gum disease, you should change your toothbrush ever 4 to six weeks. Always make sure to rinse your toothbrush under hot water after every use.

If you have any questions about how to have good oral hygiene or if you need a regular check-up, call Artistic Touch Dentistry and schedule an appointment!