Change Your Toothbrush – Toothbrush is one of your oral and dental hygiene needs. Because, dental health generally depends on how regularly you clean it. Although it sounds trivial, but teeth filled with plaque can invite various dental, oral health problems, and even affect other body organs.
Therefore, brushing teeth is one of the routines that must be done every day to maintain the health of your body.
Brushing your teeth is healthy, but this activity can also cause disease if you rarely change the toothbrush you use. Do you know how many bacteria live on your toothbrush? One toothbrush can be loaded with bacteria if you never replace it.
That’s why it’s important to replace your toothbrush because it can become a breeding ground for microorganisms. But, when and how often do you need to change your toothbrush?
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Why is it important to replace your toothbrush?
As explained above, toothbrushes can be a source of nesting bacteria. When we brush our teeth, bacteria or microorganisms can move and survive on the toothbrush. The place where we put our toothbrush is not necessarily sterile. Usually, toothbrushes are stored in the open near the toilet. This of course can be one of the causes of our toothbrushes infested with microorganisms.
After brushing your teeth, your toothbrush will get wet, and this can put a high risk of bacteria growing. However, the microorganisms found on toothbrushes don’t always make people sick.
The toothpaste used usually has an anti-germ component, this component is able to make it difficult for microorganisms to survive. But microorganisms like damp places, so try to keep your toothbrush dry after use and keep your toothbrush in a dry place.
So, how often should you change your toothbrush?
According to The American Dental Association, you need to replace your toothbrush approximately every three to four months. Because, after more than three months, the bristles of the toothbrush are generally worn out, so they need to be replaced with new ones.
However, the condition of the bristles also depends on how you use them. A person who is used to brushing his teeth hard usually makes the brush wear out and fall out faster.
Therefore, the key to changing your toothbrush depends on the changing shape of the bristles. Replace your toothbrush when the bristles are not straight and change in different directions. For parents, don’t forget to check your child’s toothbrush because usually children’s toothbrushes need to be replaced more often than adults.
In addition to the shape of the brush bristles, there are other contributing factors that require someone to replace their toothbrush prematurely. People who have recovered from illness need to change their toothbrush so that viruses and bacteria do not re-infect. Brush bristles can be a favorite breeding ground for microorganisms.
Tips for caring and cleaning toothbrushes
Toothbrushes are a favorite place for germs and bacteria to live. But, actually the bacteria attached to the toothbrush does not always threaten dental health and rarely make you sick. This is because, when we brush our teeth with toothpaste, generally toothpaste already contains anti-bacterial substances.
Even though it sounds harmless, we still need to take care of our toothbrush so that these microorganisms are not too active to attack our bodies.
- The key to taking care of your toothbrush is to give it time to dry before using it again. Moist toothbrush is very favored by microorganisms to live in it. After using a toothbrush, don’t forget to rinse it with tap water before drying it.
- Do not put the toothbrush in a closed place. We recommend that you put the toothbrush in an open place so that it dries quickly. This is to prevent bacteria from getting lodged in your toothbrush.
- If your toothbrush has a cover like most products sold in the market, it’s a good idea to wait for the brush to dry before putting the cover on.
- Put it in the open. This is done so that the brush dries faster. It’s okay if the brush is placed together with someone else’s toothbrush, but the thing to remember is never to share the same toothbrush with other people.
- Another tips, make sure to store the toothbrush upright and avoid piling it with other objects. Because, a toothbrush that is piled up by a soap or toothpaste bottle can increase the number of bacteria on the toothbrush.
Conclusion
Brushing your teeth is healthy, but this activity can also cause disease if you rarely change your toothbrush. You needs to change his toothbrush approximately every three months.
Because, after three or four months, the toothbrush bristles are generally worn out, so they need to be replaced with new ones. However, the condition of the bristles also depends on the wearer.