The most important tool in your home teeth cleaning arsenal is your toothbrush. Paired with regular trips to your dentist and daily flossing, switching your toothbrush out is also important to keeping your dental care routine as beneficial for your teeth and gums as possible. 

Anchorage Dental Center specializes in clean, healthy teeth for every member of the family and recommends you change your toothbrush regularly. Their guide below helps explain how often and why it’s important. 

Teeth Cleaning & Toothbrush Tips 

How Often Should You Replace a Toothbrush?

Anchorage Dental Center complies with American Dental Association (ADA) standards and recommends that their patients switch out their toothbrush or electronic device’s brush head every three months. Make your quarterly reminder easy for yourself and the entire family by adding an alert to your phone or making a visit to the drugstore for a replacement as the seasons change. It’s also important to get a new toothbrush after you recover from a bacterial or viral infection or if one begins to spread in the household. 

Why Is a Periodic Replacement Necessary?

It’s necessary to replace toothbrushes periodically since their fine bristles fray within a three to four month period. Worn bristles don’t remove as much food and plaque buildup from the surface of your teeth as new ones do; without a replacement, you’ll never get the clean result you did when you first opened the package.

It’s also important to get a new toothbrush after you’re sick, so you don’t continue to spread illness. Keep germs from affecting the mouths of your spouse or children by replacing all of the toothbrushes after a cold or flu strikes. 

To boost your at-home care with an appointment for professional teeth cleaning, call Anchorage Dental Center at (907) 278-2521. To learn more about your local family dentist Dr. Driskell and his staff, visit their website.