Every 3 months you should be replacing your toothbrush. Dr. Dhesi highly recommends replacing old toothbrushes to limit the negative effects, not only to your mouth, but also to your overall health. Especially since Periodontal Disease has been linked to Heart Disease, Diabetes, and most recently to Alzheimer’s, among others.
Throwing away your old toothbrush after a trip is an easy way to start the good habit of changing your toothbrush. After all, bringing back home a used toothbrush can be a messy venture that usually goes like this;
You’ve just finished brushing right before your trip back home and now you have a wet toothbrush that you stuff into your travel case or into a plastic sandwich bag (By the way, this is a great way to grow some bacteria or mold!). While traveling back home, your luggage gets tossed around crushing the bristles on your toothbrush. You unpack the day after you arrive home and notice that the toothbrush is still wet. It’s a soggy and crushed mess.
At this moment ask yourself two things: 1) Am I really that attached to this toothbrush, that I’m willing to risk my health? And, 2) When was the last time I replaced this thing, anyway?
Then, THROW IT AWAY!
Shopping for A New Toothbrush
Now that you’ll be shopping for a new toothbrush, Las Vegas Dentistry would like you to consider these two things when selecting your next toothbrush: The Typical Recommendations, and Your Personal Preferences.
Typical Recommendations
- Select soft bristles: Overall, toothbrushes with soft bristles are gentler and better on your gums and teeth. You might see options for medium or hard bristles, but Dr. Dhesi usually doesn’t recommend theses type of brushes, as people tend to cause more harm than good with them.
- Select rounded bristles: This means that each bristles tip should be “end-rounded,” with no rough edges, so each bristle has to be smoothed out to avoid hurting sensitive gum tissue. Don’t confuse this with the shapes or patterns of the brush head, which can be all sorts of different and wild angles.
Personal Preferences
- Brush Size: The toothbrush head should fit comfortably between your teeth and be able to reach all the available surfaces of each tooth. This includes fitting comfortable around your back molars, so if your current brush causes you problems, it’s likely too big.
- Handle: Handle designs and shapes vary extensively. Selecting a handle depends on what feels comfortable for you. Since you should be changing your toothbrush every 3 months, you can experiment a little to find what you like.
- Bristle Pattern and Shape: There are hundreds of bristle patterns, angles and combinations. Depending on tooth size, mouth shape, spacing between teeth, braces, prosthetic, and many other differences between one mouth and another, the same toothbrush type will feel different to different people. Since bristle patterns and shapes feel different to different people, select the pattern you like the best.
- Color: If you like neon green and pink polka dots or the face of your favorite movie character on your toothbrush, there is nothing wrong with that. Go with what you like.
Although there are many ways to hold a toothbrush, most people hold their toothbrushes a little too aggressively. So, the next time you’re at Las Vegas Dentistry ask our hygienist to help you adjust your grip. Your gums will thank you! Contact us with any questions you may have.