Brushing, flossing, and rinsing your teeth in addition to seeing your dentist for routine exams are all important steps to take for a healthy and appealing smile. Unfortunately, without the right tools, you may be wasting time and energy. In addition, brushing your teeth with an outdated toothbrush may cause more damage than good. With this guide, you will learn the signs that is time to replace your toothbrush.

Haphazard Bristles

If your toothbrush shows visible signs of wear, it is time for a new one. To some, haphazard, bent, and discolored bristles is just a sign of good brushing. However, bristles that look and feel worn and old are a sure sign that your toothbrush is causing more harm to your teeth than good.

Brushing your teeth with hard, uneven, bent, and damaged bristles can wear down your tooth enamel. Without a sufficient amount of this coating, your tooth pulp will not be protected from stubborn food particles, plaque, tartar, and bacteria. If your enamel is worn and damaged, your teeth will be at a higher risk of stains, decay, tooth loss, and even gum disease.

Age

Nothing is meant to last forever and this is also a true statement when referring to your toothbrush. Even if your toothbrush looks fine, you should replace it once it reaches a certain age. Most dental professionals recommend purchasing a new toothbrush every 3 to 4 months. Of course, if you are noticing visible wear before it reaches this age, it is best to replace the toothbrush sooner.

It is also important to note that you may need to replace your child's toothbrush sooner than it reaches the average lifespan of 3 to 4 months. This is because most children brush their teeth more rigorously than adults. Therefore, they will wear the bristles down faster.

Illness

If you have recently had a bacterial illness or virus of sorts, you should consider replacing your toothbrush after you are feeling better. In most cases, the germs on your toothbrush will not reinfect you with the same illness, but they can increase your risk of becoming ill with a different type of sickness. Whether you have had a severe cold, strep throat, staph infection, or the flu, decrease your risk of becoming sick again by investing in a new toothbrush.

Your toothbrush is key to your oral health, but you may not know when a new one is necessary. This guide and your dentist's advice will help educate you on the importance of replacing toothbrushes. Talk to a dentist like William U Britton DDS MAGD for more tooth brushing advice.