If you’ve been picking up the same toothbrush every morning and night for the past year, you’re probably doing more harm to your teeth than good.
Why? Because you’re way overdue to change out your toothbrush.
In fact, dentistry expert Dr. Joshua Perlman told DailyMail.com that he recommends his patients switch out their toothbrush every three months.
But the reason why is more complicated than just because ‘it’s dirty.’
Dr. Perlman said that the bristles on your toothbrush – designed to clean plaque, bacteria, and food particles from your teeth – may just be overused after that three-month mark.
‘When toothbrush bristles are overused they can become weakened or frayed,’ Dr. Perlman said.
‘When toothbrush bristles become frayed they lose their ability to clean teeth.’
Dentistry expert Dr. Joshua Perlman said that when toothbrushes become frayed, they lose their ability to clean teeth (stock image)
In fact, he said if your toothbrush bristles get frayed before three months of use, you should probably go ahead and change them ahead of schedule.
He explained that if you continue to brush your teeth with frayed bristles, you run the risk of developing gum issues and potential cavities.
‘This is because the bristles are less effective than new toothbrush bristles that stand straight up and down,’ Dr. Perlman said.
‘Frayed bristles cannot clean into tight spaces between teeth therefore plaque and food debris is often left behind.’
And of course, he mentioned that the longer you use a toothbrush, the more bacteria accumulates on the bristles.
He also said that a change in color or smell is also the indication that it’s time to switch out your toothbrush.
And if you ever get sick, it’s probably a good idea to get a new toothbrush as soon as you get better.
‘You can re-infect yourself if you continue to brush with the same toothbrush you used when you were sick,’ Dr. Perlman explained.
It’s important to change out your entire manual toothbrush your the head of your electric toothbrush every three months (stock image)
Replacing your toothbrush also gives you the opportunity to choose one that’s better for your dental health.
There are a lot of options out there, so it’s easy to go with whatever is the cheapest or simply matches the color scheme of your bathroom.
But Dr. Perlman has a set of standards he advised patients adhere to when choosing the best toothbrush for them.
First, he suggested making sure that the bristles are soft – it’s easy to damage your gums and tooth enamel otherwise.
People may assume that a hard bristle toothbrush is good to get out whatever gunk is in their teeth.
‘This is actually very dangerous and cause issues like gum recession, sensitivity, and in severe cases premature enamel wear,’ he said.
He also advised that you pay attention to whether or not the toothbrush feels comfortable in your hand and if it’ll allow you to reach all of your teeth – both front and back.
‘This is paramount to ensure you get the most out of the toothbrush you use everyday,’ he said.
He recommended Quip toothbrushes, which come with a built-in pressure reminder feature – to make sure you don’t press too hard and end up damaging your teeth and gums.
And once you have the best toothbrush, it’s time to do everything you can to make sure it lasts the full three months.
Dr. Perlman said to make sure to rinse it with water really well after each use – and to make sure all of the toothpaste is cleaned from the bristles before you let your toothbrush dry.
He said to also stand the toothbrush upright with the head at the top so that it can air dry – this will allow moisture to settle away from the bristles.
‘Moisture can promote bacterial growth so allow the toothbrush to completely dry between uses,’ he said.
And if you follow suit, you probably won’t have to change out your toothbrush before the three-month mark.
