Can you remember the last time you replaced your toothbrush? If your dentist gives you a new one every visit, maybe it was within the last six months. But if they don’t—or if you’re guilty of skipping those routine cleanings—your brush might be languishing.
The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends replacing toothbrushes every three to four months, or sooner if they have visible signs of damage. But “I would assume that most people keep their toothbrushes longer than recommended,” says Iwonka T. Eagle, director of the graduate dental hygiene program and a clinical associate professor in the department of periodontics and oral medicine at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. “I always tell patients, if you can’t remember when you replaced the brush last, then it’s probably time.”
“I think people typically go about every six months,” says Dr. Lee Weisbard, owner of Weisbard Dental in Greenwood Village, Colo. “In our practice, we give people a new toothbrush or we replace their toothbrush head. So I think a lot of people just wait until they go to the dentist and get a new toothbrush. But we try to tell them that they should replace it every three to four months.” If your dentist doesn’t give you a new toothbrush, your regular cleaning should be a reminder to replace yours on your own, although even sooner would be better, she adds.
Why every 3 to 4 months?
Sometimes people think replacing their toothbrush is a matter of hygiene—that an older brush is harboring bacteria and other microbes that might make them sick. But experts say the primary reason to replace your toothbrush frequently is because it loses effectiveness…