Cleaning Your Toothbrush
At the very least, each time you use your toothbrush you need to rinse it with hot tap water. If you would prefer to take toothbrush cleanliness a step further, you could always soak it in antibacterial mouthwash or use a toothbrush sanitizer that utilizes ultraviolet light to kill germs.
Storing Your Toothbrush
Correctly storing your toothbrush is equally as important as cleaning it after you use it. Does your toothbrush share real estate space with every other toothbrush in your house? If so, you need to rethink where you are storing it. When you keep multiple toothbrushes together in a cup, you risk a cross-contamination situation.
In addition, be sure to store your toothbrush as far away from the toilet as possible. This is because when the toilet is flushed, fecal matter rises into the air and spreads harmful bacteria all over the surfaces in your bathroom. Keeping your toothbrush inside of a closed medicine cabinet will keep you from having to visualize this gross scenario any longer.
Replacing Your Toothbrush
According to CDC recommendations, you should replace your toothbrush every three to four months. If you use an electric toothbrush, plan on changing out its bristles every 12 weeks or so.
However, if your toothbrush is so worn that it looks like you just scrubbed the floor with it, it is safe to say that you should get rid of it earlier than that. Also, if you or anyone in your family has been ill, everyone in the house should go ahead and change out their toothbrush.
Your Dental Health Matters
Wouldn’t it be nice if your toothbrush could talk? Then it could inform you about that cavity you have, and let you know that it is time to go to the dentist. Until that time comes, in order to maintain good dental health, you need to schedule regular dental checkups. If you are looking for a friendly Albany, NY dentist that you can trust, contact DeSanti & Linden Dentistry today.