How often do I change my toothbrush and why?

Even small children know how often to change a toothbrush. Dentists recommend doing this every 3 months. Nevertheless, not everyone follows this rule. Of course, there are people who change brushes almost every month, and even more often (which is good), but in most cases this hygiene item serves for six months or more. Such a disregard for hygiene can lead to serious problems.

Why do toothbrushes need to be changed regularly?

Before understanding how often to change a toothbrush, it is necessary to understand why it is necessary to do this. The fact is that hygiene items should always be kept clean. But even if you carefully take care of the brush and always wash it, bacteria will still accumulate on it, which in the oral cavity is incredible. Thus, instead of brushing your teeth, you will always carry more bacteria to them. And, of course, deformed bristles can not penetrate into hard-to-reach places.

A little bit about using and storing

How often to change a toothbrush is a rather individual question. Someone does this often, and some do not. But the main thing is not to exceed the maximum allowable period of use in 3 months. In doing so, you must follow some rules for storing and using toothbrushes:

• After using the brush, it should be thoroughly washed with soap. This is due to the fact that in the human mouth there is a huge number of bacteria. This applies even to absolutely healthy people. Naturally, some bacteria remain on the bristles.
• It is necessary to wash the brush not only after, but also before brushing your teeth. The bacteria and microbes that are contained in the environment can settle on the bristles. Getting into the oral cavity, they can lead to the development of various kinds of diseases.
• In many families, all toothbrushes are stored in one cup. This is categorically wrong, because when you touch bacteria from one device are transferred to another. Brushes of family members should be kept separately. If this is not possible, the use of protective caps is mandatory.
• Determining the suitability of the toothbrush for further use, it is not always necessary to be guided only by the appearance of the bristles. Sometimes people brush their teeth so neatly that the bristles can not lose their appearance for a whole year. Nevertheless, this does not mean that there are no bacteria on it.
• To exclude the possibility of bacterial multiplication on the toothbrush, you can purchase a special sterilizer. But it is advisable only if you use very expensive brushes.
• Many consider it proper to store brushes in cases to prevent the entry of microbes from the outside. Nevertheless, they must be absolutely dry. Otherwise, the microbes will multiply even faster.

How to understand that it's time to change the brush?

How often should I change my toothbrush? Most dentists agree that this should be done every 3 months. This is the maximum allowable time. Nevertheless, the brush can become worn out much earlier. So, you need to replace it in the following cases:

• If the villi began to stick out in different directions, the brush can no longer perform its functions to the full. It does not just not clean the plaque, but it can also injure the gums.
• Most manufacturers of toothbrushes make special indicators in the bristles in the form of colored inserts. When their shade becomes pale, immediately change the brush.
• If there are visible accumulations of toothpaste or contaminants at the base of the bristles, such a brush is no longer usable. It not only does not clean, but on the contrary - it pollutes the oral cavity.
• If you have had a cold or a viral infection, the brush should be changed immediately (even if it is completely new). Continuing to use the same hygiene item as during the illness, you expose yourself to the risk of re-infection.
• If the brush has fallen on a dirty floor or stored in inadequate conditions, it can no longer be used. Even thorough washing with soap does not guarantee a complete cleansing.
• If another person has casually used your brush, it should be replaced immediately. Otherwise, you risk contracting infectious diseases.

How often do I change a toothbrush for a child?

It is in childhood that immunity and health are formed. This applies not only to the internal systems of the body, but also to the teeth. That's why special attention is paid to children's brushes. Given that the child does not yet have sufficient skills to brush his teeth, his brushes spoil much faster.

Talking about how often it is necessary to change a toothbrush and why, it is worth noting that for children the same rules apply as for adults. Nevertheless, there is such an important moment as addictive. Little children remember well not only the appearance of things, but also the tactile sensations. Thus, the new brush may not like, which will result in the child refusing to brush his teeth. It is recommended to buy several identical brushes in advance to change them if necessary.

What happens if you do not change the brush in time

At school, children are taught how often they need to change their toothbrush and why. Nevertheless, as adults, people do not always follow the directions of dentists. So, if you brush your teeth with the same brush for a long time, the following problems can arise:

• Because of the accumulation of pathogenic bacteria, caries develop much faster;
• Increased risk of stomatitis or gingivitis;
• Using an old brush causes bleeding gums.

Recommendations for choosing a toothbrush

The answer to the question of how often it is necessary to change a toothbrush depends largely on how well this hygiene item is selected. When buying, you should follow such advice:

• If the bristles are of different lengths, they are much better at dealing with impurities;
• To clean the plaque between the teeth, use brushes with long thin bristles;
• If you have problems with the gums, choose brushes with rubber or silicone inserts that perform the massage function;
• If implants or orthodontic structures are installed in the mouth, pay attention to the single-brushes;
• Choose brushes with a special scraper for cleaning the tongue, because it is the raid on it is the most common cause of bad breath;
• Bristles should be of medium stiffness unless otherwise recommended by your dentist;
• Expensive brushes have better quality material, which not only affects the quality of cleaning, but also prolongs the service life.

Some more useful tips

Knowing how often it is necessary to change the toothbrush and clearly following this rule, you will be able to maintain the normal state of the oral cavity. Nevertheless, it is important to take into account a number of other recommendations:

• If your gums bleed, do not change the brush to a softer one - this will not help to solve the problem, but it can negatively affect the quality of teeth cleaning;
• Electric toothbrushes can provoke the erasure of enamel;
• After a morning brushing of teeth is not recommended to eat anything for half an hour;
• After the evening brushing of teeth is not possible until the morning (if you could not resist, be sure to rinse your mouth thoroughly).

Conclusion

Why is it often necessary to change a toothbrush? The answer is obvious - in order to preserve the health of the oral cavity. Even if you use a hygienic device very carefully and it looks like a new one, its service life is not more than three months. As a rule, a month later, a large number of bacteria accumulate on the bristles. Thus, instead of thoroughly cleaning the oral cavity, you also infect it with microbes. And of course, the life of a toothbrush depends largely on how well you store it.