Brushing lies at the heart of your oral health. It cleans away bacteria and plaque, keeps your teeth bright and shiny, and leaves your breath smelling fresh and pleasant.

So it follows that keeping your toothbrush in good shape goes a long way in helping you maintain a healthy mouth and a happy smile.

To that end, we’ve got a few tips for you on maintaining the vital implement that is the toothbrush.

1. Lighten Up On Your Teeth

Pressing too hard when brushing can damage your enamel and gums — but it also wears down your toothbrush much faster. 

It’s tempting to use extra pressure, but keep the pressure right and make repetitive brushing motions. This will protect your tooth, gum, and brush health.

2. Rinse Your Toothbrush After Every Use

It’s a very simple step, but quite important. 

See, your toothbrush is in constant contact with bacteria, plaque, and your own bodily tissues (the teeth, gums, and mouth). It’s bound to pick up debris, bacteria, and toothpaste that can get wedged in the bristles or dry onto the handle.

Make sure you rinse off your brush after every use. Use warm water to prevent damaging the brush while washing away anything that might be stuck in or on it. After rinsing, gently rub the bristles to clear out any stubborn debris.

3. Wash Your Hands Before Brushing

We don’t really think about how dirty our hands get over the day. We use them to touch and hold everything, after all.

Now, with that in mind, it’s vital to wash your hands before using your brush. It’ll prevent bacteria from getting on the brush and in your mouth, keeping you and your brush in good health.

4. Don’t Cover Your Brush Unless Traveling

If you cover your toothbrush, the water on it can’t evaporate properly. Bacteria love wet environments, so keeping it covered will lead to more bacteria growth.

Instead, leave it uncovered in its holder to air dry.

That said, cover it when you travel to protect it from debris and other objects that could dirty or destroy the brush or bristles.

5. Replace Your Toothbrush Regularly

No matter how well you take care of your brush, it eventually wears down to a point where it’s not useful. Thus, you need to replace it every so often. Every 3-4 months is generally a good timeframe, although better to be on the side of sooner rather than later.

Luckily, you get a free toothbrush every time you go to the dentist, which is usually once every 6 months. That means you only have to buy a brush twice a year!

With that in mind, schedule your appointment with Absolute Smile today — all new patients get a free consultation!