Dental hygiene is incredibly important to maintaining both health and high quality of life, and keeping up with your dental hygiene now can save you a lot of pain, time, and money later. Have you ever gone to brush your teeth and seen your toothbrush, discolored bristles bent out of shape, and thought to yourself, “It’s really time for me to get a new toothbrush?” While a toothbrush looking like it’s recently been through a hurricane is generally a good sign that it’s time to replace it, it’s generally best to make sure it’s replaced every three months, the American Dental Association’s recommendation for how often to replace your toothbrush.
Bristles that are bent out of shape aren’t able to clean teeth as efficiently as a new brush or brush head, and germs and bacteria can get stuck in the gnarled bristles, potentially leading to infection or illness. That is why it is recommended to replace your toothbrush after you’ve been sick, as one could accidentally reinfect themselves after recovering, and there is nothing worse than recovering from an illness and immediately falling sick again. Rinsing, drying, and storing your toothbrush in an upright position can help keep the toothbrush clean and decrease the potential risks.
If it is time to get a new toothbrush, consider investing in an electric toothbrush. While these do cost more than a manual toothbrush, they clean more efficiently than manual toothbrushes, and many modern electric toothbrushes come with an option to subscribe and automatically be sent replacement brush heads on the dentist recommended schedule of three months, so you always know when it’s time to replace your brush head.
To learn more about how to keep your teeth clean, and to stay on top of your dental hygiene, please visit our website at www.morristownoralsurgery.com.
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