How Often Should You Replace Your Toothbrush?

If you are asking yourself how often should you replace your toothbrush, the answer is more often than you probably think, although most of us are guilty of not dong this as often as we should. In fact, most dentists suggest that both adults and children should replace their toothbrush every three months, although research shows that most of us only buy a new brush about once every year. A brush showing excessive wear and tear to the bristles should be replaced sooner.
And if you have had a cold or the flu, or someone else has used your brush, you should immediately replace your toothbrush afterwords. If you wear braces, the braces tend to break the bristles down more quickly, causing them to lose their effectiveness, so it is particularly important for anyone wearing braces to buy a new brush regularly. Some brands of toothbrush have an indicator in the bristles that alerts you, often by changing color, when it is time to discard the brush. Another solution is simply to write a reminder on your calendar.
The main reason that your toothbrush needs to be replaced is because of wear and tear, making the bristles less effective. Children in particular, tend to brush with uneven strokes and many younger children chew on or bite their toothbrush. Bristles that are worn and bent are not as effective in cleaning your teeth; they can also be a breeding ground for bacteria and germs. A new toothbrush removes up to 30 percent more plaque than one that is worn and a worn brush is probably damaging your gums more than it is cleaning your teeth.
Another good reason to replace your brush regularly is that the typical toothbrush can have thousands of microbes growing on both the handles and the bristles and these can cause colds, flu, cold sores and even herpes. The warm and damp atmosphere of most bathrooms only make it more likely for these bacteria to breed.
Replacing your toothbrush costs just a few dollars a time - about the same price as a hamburger or cup of coffee - and is worth doing, to maintain good oral health and to avoid bad breath. If you are looking for a new toothbrush, nylon is generally longer lasting than a brush with natural bristles; you should also choose a hard bristle brush for yourself, instead of one with soft bristles.