Risks of Using an Old Toothbrush: Health Concerns

Why changing your brush on time is important: Keeping teeth healthy is very important not only for good oral hygiene but also for overall health. Teeth play an important role in our daily lives, such as chewing food, assisting in speaking, and maintaining facial beauty. If the teeth are not healthy, it can cause many physical and mental problems.

Toothbrushes help keep these teeth healthy. So, using the toothbrush properly and changing it from time to time is very important for the health of teeth and gums. Otherwise, plaque and bacteria deposited in the teeth can cause gum diseases, tooth decay, and cavities. These infections can reach other parts of the body, such as the heart and lungs, through the blood. Therefore, keeping teeth healthy helps protect the whole body from infection. Therefore, you should know how often you have to change your toothbrush and what damage can happen to your teeth if you do not do so.

The time limit for changing toothbrush:

According to the Dental Association and oral hygiene experts, it is advisable to change the toothbrush every 3 months. However, some people may change the toothbrush even sooner than this, such as:

As the bristles of the toothbrush wear out, its cleaning ability decreases, due to which the teeth are not cleaned properly. Therefore, changing the toothbrush on time is very important for dental health.
It may need to be changed after any illness like a cold, flu, or mouth infection so that bacteria or viruses can be avoided.

4 disadvantages of not changing the toothbrush:

1. Decreased teeth cleaning-

If the toothbrush becomes old and the bristles are worn out, it is not able to clean the spaces and corners between the teeth properly. This causes plaque (accumulation of dirt and bacteria) to accumulate on the teeth, which can cause cavities (tooth decay) and gum disease. It is important to remove plaque on time, as it can harden and turn into tartar (tooth stone), making cleaning teeth even more difficult.

2. Gum problems-

Old and worn-out bristles can damage the gums. When the bristles are hard and worn out, they can rub against the gums and cause them to swell or bleed. This can lead to problems like gum inflammation (gingivitis) and tooth loss (periodontitis).

3. Bad breath-

An old toothbrush is not able to clean the teeth properly, which increases the accumulation of bacteria in the mouth. Bacteria can cause bad breath, which can cause you problems with bad breath. Bacteria can also cause infections and inflammation in the mouth.

4. Risk of infection-

Bacteria, viruses, and fungi can accumulate on the toothbrush, especially when it remains wet or is not maintained properly. If you don't change your toothbrush for a long time, it can become a source of bacteria and increase the risk of spreading infection. Especially if you use the same toothbrush after having flu, cold, or any other infection, it can lead to the recurrence of the disease.

Proper care and habits:

Change the toothbrush once in 3 months.
Change the toothbrush immediately after getting sick.
Avoid keeping the toothbrush wet and keep it dry.
Brush with the right technique, so that the bristles remain fresh for a longer time.