Oftentimes, individuals do not know when to replace their toothbrush. Sometimes, people can even continue using a toothbrush for upwards of a year without replacing it. But did you know that this can be harmful to your health? Or that it can be disadvantageous to plaque removal? A toothbrush should be replaced every three to four months to maintain the same amount of effectiveness, but why? Let?s take a look at some of the reasons.

Effectiveness

After a few months, the bristles of your toothbrush slowly deteriorate and start to fray. Once these bristles are frayed, they are no longer able to remove plaque satisfactorily. This can result in plaque buildup. Plaque buildup is essentially bacterial deposits, and once these build up, it can lead to tartar buildup. Either of these buildups can, in the future, lead to cavities, gingivitis, and bad breath, so it is very important to take all measures necessary to avoid this.

Illness

When brushing your teeth with toothpaste, it doesn?t necessarily kill the bacteria that is in your mouth, but it removes it. This being said, it can not protect you from forms of disease, and it can not prevent sickness, so it is important to change your brush regularly to ensure that you are not elongating your sickness. Similarly, if you have an electric toothbrush, it is important to also change out the heads on the brushes as often as you would replace a toothbrush.

At Paradise Dental, we want to ensure that all our patients are taken care of with the utmost of quality, and care. Therefore, we like to remind our patients that it is important to switch out their toothbrush every few months in order to have the healthiest smile out there. Contact us today for more information, or give us a call directly at 781-598-3700.