Toothbrush Care

It is recommended by the Dental Association of America that a toothbrush should be changed at least four times a year or almost every three months, especially when a person falls ill. If too much pressure is used to brush teeth then a toothbrush can even begin to flare before three to four months. It is believed by dentists that roughly after forty to fifty uses, a toothbrush should be thrown out. It is even recommended that toothbrushes should be changed every two weeks if people wish to remain healthy. Toothbrushes should in fact be changed more often by the people who are suffering from gum problems, other oral diseases, or some illness. People should also change their brushes thrice when they are suffering from some contagious or infectious disease, once when they have fallen ill, once when they are getting better and finally when have fully recovered. Patients who are recovering from major surgeries should also make a habit of toothbrush replacement almost every day due to the higher risks of infections.

Looking at the indicators on the toothbrush is the easiest way to be aware when a toothbrush needs to be changed. Usually two or three rows of blue colored bristles are the indicators on the toothbrush and the user gets to know that it is time to change the toothbrush when this blue color fades.

Today almost every other toothbrush available in the market has an indicator that is reliable enough to inform the user when the toothbrush needs to be changed. To enable the outer layers of the bristles to have a different color from the rest of the bristles, they are embedded with a non-toxic dye. Blue is the usual color used over these indicator bristles. The color on the indicator keeps on getting thinner as the toothbrush is continuously used and there comes a time when that out colored layer finally diminishes. Thus the brush indicator indicates the people that it is the time to replace their toothbrush with a new one once that color wears off.