How Often Should You Change Your Toothbrush?
| With it’s numerous benefits, a toothbrush is a hygiene instrument like no other. Along with flossing, it forms the basic oral defence and ensures long term health of our teeth, gums and beyond. But how often should you change your toothbrush? In general, dentists and doctors recommend to change your toothbrush at least every 3 or 4 months. This is to make sure that the toothbrush bristles are still doing their job and the toothbrush remains clean. There are some extra factors to consider. Let’s find out more. |
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Benefits of brushing your teeth regularly
You had a long day, you are tired and don’t have the energy to brush your teeth. Or, you are running late for school or work in the morning and there is no time to brush. Sound like you sometimes? Strong scientific evidence may make you rethink this.
There are numerous reason why regularly brushing your teeth is crucial and skipping it should not be in your plans (read here about how often you should brush your teeth).
Firstly, brushing your teeth regularly (with a good toothbrush and toothpaste) will prevent your teeth from decaying. And we can agree, decay anywhere in your body is probably not a good thing.
Decay is a result of mouth bacteria in plaque and calculus feeding on sugars from food to create acid which wear down our teeth and leads to holes on the teeth.
Secondly, if we don’t brush our teeth, we get bad breath, produced by the same bacteria that cause decay. Brushing with a good toothbrush also prevents gum inflammation which can cause pain, swelling and bleeding. Over time, the changes can also lead to tooth loss.
Decay and disease of the gums also lead to mouth infections and in some cases abscesses which cause severe pain needing emergency treatment and hospital admissions even.
But the benefits of toothbrushing go beyond the mouth and teeth. There is good evidence to suggest that bad oral health and cleanliness is associated with an increased risk of heart and diabetes mellitus complications among other conditions.
Good tooth and oral care in pregnant women is also linked to healthier newborns.
Nice smile, healthy teeth, good breath and good health. Ok, I get it, it is important. Let’s find out a bit about types of toothbrushes before discussing how often you should change them.
Toothbrush types
One would think choosing a toothbrush would be a pretty simple job. And it usually is. But there is an growing number of choices to consider and picking a good one is important.
Bristle type, manual or electric as well as basic design and dimensions are all things to keep in mind. The type of toothbrush may also affect how often they should to be changed.
Your dentist will tell you the best one to use for your teeth and you may even get a free one during your regular dentist check up.
Size and handle
This is an easy one. You need to find the correct size of toothbrush.
Kids and teens may need to get a smaller sized brush as adult sized ones would be less effective at reaching certain areas and can be uncomfortable to use. Similarly, the toothbrush handle. Getting one that is easy to hold, especially for children will make it easier to clean for the recommended time period.
Toothbrush Bristles
We all know there are soft, medium and hard toothbrushes.
Dentists and dental bodies usually recommend soft bristled brushes for most people. Soft bristled brushes will be able to remove plaque from the teeth without issues and being more gentle, they are safe to not damage the important tooth surface or surrounding gums. This is especially important if you apply a lot of pressure when brushing.
We also find there are a number of different designs of bristles as well “extras” including tongue cleaning surfaces etc. Pick the one that you like that seems to be of good quality or endorsed by your local dental authority or dentist.
Manual or electric
Simply, it does not matter too much. Manual toothbrushes are more popular, widely used and cheaper. However, there is an ever growing selection of electric alternatives out there.
Are they worth it?
Manual toothbrushes do the job well if used properly and will keep your teeth clean. Electric counterparts can are also very effective and in some cases, even better. It is largely a personal choice depending on what is most comfortable, safe and easy to use. In some cases, individuals with manual dexterity issues or children may benefit from trying an electric toothbrush.
How often should I change my toothbrush?
As per dentist suggestions, we would recommend changing your tooth brush at least every 3 or 4 months.
Do it much sooner if the brush bristles begin to fold or fade away.
Lower quality toothbrushes or improper technique can lead to needing to change it more often.
You may also want to change the toothbrush more frequently if it stored or left in a less clean environment eg a shower or if dropped on the floor.
In addition, if you have had an infection or a cold, it may be beneficial to change it afterwards to limit spread.
Some types of toothbrushes may also need changing more often. We also need to consider batteries and longevity of electric toothbrushes that will depend on the specific brand.
If you have multiple toothbrushes and not using each one daily, for example just at work or on a trip, you may get away with changing it a bit less often. Having said this, in the interest of cleanliness and how cheap decent toothbrushes are, we would not recommend this.
Tips on how to use your toothbrush
As we saw above, the exact type of toothbrush you choose is not as important as how you use it, the technique and frequency of use.
Appropriate technique, regular use as well as storage will improve the health of your teeth and keep the toothbrush in good shape. This can increase the life span of the toothbrush, but do ensure to change it regularly as above.
It is generally recommend brushing between 2 and 3 minutes, covering all surfaces of the teeth in a gentle controlled motion and appropriate angle. Get your dentist to show you next time.
And don’t forget about flossing. After use, rinse your toothbrush well, to clean it. Store in a clean, dry protected location our toothbrush. Store your toothbrush upright. Never share your toothbrush with anyone, even close family members.
Read our guide on how often you should brush your teeth as well.
How often do you change your toothbrush?
Do you have any tips on which ones to use and where to store them? Let us know in the comments below.
References
1. “Choosing a Toothbrush: The Pros and Cons of Electric and Disposable“, WebMD, accessed September 2020, available here
2. “Periodontal disease: associations with diabetes, glycemic control and complications“, , accessed September 2020, abstract available here
3. “Brushing – Resources for Professionals“, Australian Dental Association, accessed August 2020, available here
4. “The effect of brushing time and dentifrice on dental plaque removal in vivo“, Creeth JE, Gallagher A et al. Journal of Dental Hygiene 2009
5. “Pregnancy and teeth“, Better Health Department of Health & Human Services, Victoria, Australia, accessed September 2020, available here
The text written in this article is meant for general informational purposes only and it is not to be used in any way medical or dental advice. Refer to your dentist for all oral care advice. If you have any symptoms or concerns, consult a doctor or dentist in addition. Ensure you agree with the terms of use of this website.
