We all know that we should brush our teeth in the morning and evening, that flossing is essential and that we should replace our toothbrushes every few months or when they become frayed.
However, according to one dentist, a frayed toothbrush isn’t the only sign that you need to replace your toothbrush and, in fact, a frayed toothbrush could be a sign of a bigger problem.
HuffPost UK spoke exclusively with Dr Sam Jethwa, a leading cosmetic dentist and the founder of Bespoke Smile to learn exactly when we should be replacing our toothbrushes.
When you should replace your toothbrush
So, there is a hard and fast rule about replacing toothbrushes and toothbrush heads. Dr Jethwa said: “You should be changing your manual toothbrush, or head of electric toothbrush every three months.”
However, he warned, if you’ve been ill, you need to change it too. This is because your toothbrush harbours a lot of germs so it is crucial it is changed especially since these germs will also multiply much faster when in humid spaces such as the bathroom!
He added: “Frayed or bent bristles indicate you need to change the toothbrush, they also will not be cleaning the teeth as effectively as they should be, and especially the gum line.”
Other signs include your toothbrush starting to smell, your teeth not feeling clean after brushing despite using a proper technique for the correct amount of time, and hardened bristles.
Finally, he urged that if the bristles on your toothbrush are fraying before the three month mark, this could be a sign that you are brushing your teeth too hard.
How to properly clean your teeth
The NHS recommends the following for brushing your teeth effectively: “Place your brush at a 45 degree angle against your gum line. Gently start to brush your teeth in short circular strokes away from the gum line. Using short back and forth strokes, gently brush all the surfaces in your mouth.”