In a time when many people are doing their best to curb their consumer habits, throwing out your old toothbrush may get under your skin. But do you really understand why you should replace your toothbrush every 3 months? We’ll help explain this recommendation. Also, in our next blog we will have some tips for ways to reduce your carbon footprint while also taking care of your teeth properly!

Your mouth is home to millions of bacteria. Some good, some bad. The point of brushing your teeth is to help remove this bacteria from your mouth on –you guessed it– your toothbrush. When you brush, you make microscopic cuts in your gums, which can also introduce blood-borne illnesses to your bristles. Obviously that’s not a big deal for you, but you do want to consider two things. First, that bacteria isn’t static. Once it’s on your wet brush it has a chance to continue to grow and mutate. That means you may accidentally re-infect yourself every day and come down with the illness again. Second, you shouldn’t share your toothbrush. Even if you kiss the person you’re sharing it with, the exposure of germs through kissing doesn’t enter your bloodstream like brushing your teeth could.

As gross as it is to think about, there is no fool-proof way to allow your toothbrush to dry properly while also protecting it from bacteria floating around your bathroom. If your toothbrush is within 3 feet of your toilet, you are definitely spraying dirty toilet water on your brush when you flush.  Additionally, mist from your shower may carry dirty shower water or chemicals from your shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and cleaning products all over the bathroom. Research shows that many toothbrushes harbor E. Coli, Staph, and Pseudomonas.

Another reason it’s important to replace your toothbrush after three months is it simply doesn’t do it’s job anymore. Over time the bristles bend and fray. The shape of the bristles on your toothbrush is designed to help brush away plaque and massage your gums. When the bristles don’t sit the way they were designed, it is easy to miss spots, and to rub other places too hard. This can lead to weakened enamel and gum disease by either leaving bacteria behind, or brushing too hard.

If you’re ready to burn your toothbrush and give up on brushing, wait just a minute. You can greatly reduce the amount of bacteria on your brush by taking time to store, clean, and replace your toothbrush regularly.

After you’re done brushing, take time to rinse your toothbrush well. You want to remove food debris, toothpaste, and bacteria.

Whether you like to use a cup or hang your toothbrush, you want your toothbrush to sit upright. This helps to drain off excess moisture, which could create a healthy growing environment for bacteria. Avoid putting a cap on your toothbrush as it prevents proper drying and can infect new brushes with old bacteria.

Your toothbrush simply isn’t made to last longer than a few months. The bristles lose their shape and aren’t as effective at cleaning off plaque. Additionally, the close placement of bristles which is essential for cleaning teeth also provides hundreds of hiding places for bacteria and food to get trapped and multiply bacteria. Your best bet for keeping your toothbrush –and mouth– clean is to replace your toothbrush.

Hopefully you understand a little better why replacing your toothbrush regularly is important. It helps reduce bacteria and ensures you are actually cleaning your teeth. If you’re bothered by creating so much waste, tune in next week for some tips for reducing your carbon footprint in dental waste products.

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