When to Replace an Electric Toothbrush and Choose the Right One for You

When To Replace An Electric Toothbrush

An electric toothbrush is a great way to care for your mouth and prevent several dental problems. However, your electric toothbrush must be performing optimally. Whether you own a Sonicare or Oral B brush, we’re here to advise how to keep electric toothbrushes in their best working state. Learning how to care for your toothbrush is one thing, but you also need to know when to replace it because its quality decreases over time.

Ways to Take Care of Your Electric Toothbrush

Aside from replacing it regularly, there are other ways you can improve your dental hygiene tool’s lifespan.

Don’t Share

Caring for your toothbrush is a great way to reduce how often you need to replace it. Avoid sharing your toothbrush with other people—even your immediate family. Use a unique sticker to differentiate your toothbrush from everyone else’s at home. Of course, you can both use the same electric toothbrush but have your toothbrush head for hygiene purposes.

Keep It Clean

After you brush your teeth, rinse the toothbrush head (and the handle because it can collect saliva and used toothpaste) under clean water. Although some people choose to keep their electric toothbrush in a case, these containers can encourage mould growth or create a build-up of bacteria that spreads onto your brush. Instead, try to keep your brush up high where it’s not prone to dust. Then, always rinse it with tap water before you apply toothpaste.

Don’t Overbrush

Too much pressure on the brush’s bristles can cause them to fan out, making them less effective and increasing the overall wear of your toothbrush. If you need more guidance on the amount of pressure to apply when brushing your teeth, opt for an electric toothbrush with indicators that can sense and warn you when you’re pressing too hard on your gums and teeth.

Let Your Toothbrush Air Dry After Use

Keep your toothbrush away from water during storage and allow it to air dry after each use to minimise the chance of mould growth.

What Happens if You Don’t Replace Your Toothbrush Often Enough?

It would help if you didn’t ignore signs to replace your toothbrush. Doing so can cause the nylon bristles to become exposed to water and chemicals from the toothpaste. Also, the bristles will become weaker after every use. Flaring out like a fan doesn’t allow you to reach awkward places in your mouth when brushing. Also, it can lead to a considerable amount of plaque build-up. In fact, not replacing your toothbrush often enough can cause gum disease due to plaque exposure on your teeth.

When To Replace an Electric Toothbrush

Generally speaking, replace your toothbrush head every three months. However, if you notice that the bristles are fanning out, don’t ignore the signs and replace your toothbrush head earlier. Overlooking this step can negatively impact your oral health.

Furthermore, if you’ve been sick or recently had an infection, you can reduce bacteria transmission by replacing your electric brush head. Alternatively, replace it if someone else has used your electric toothbrush on their teeth.

What Happens if You Don’t Replace Your Toothbrush Often Enough?

It would help if you didn’t ignore signs to replace your toothbrush. Doing so can cause the nylon bristles to become exposed to water and chemicals from the toothpaste. In addition, the bristles will become weaker after every use. Flaring out like a fan doesn’t allow you to reach awkward places in your mouth when brushing. Also, it can lead to a considerable amount of plaque build-up. In fact, not replacing your toothbrush often enough can cause gum disease due to plaque exposure on your teeth.

Tips for Replacing Your Brush Head

Here are some tips for replacing your brush head:

  • Set a reminder on your phone or write in your calendar every three months to remind yourself to change the brush head.
  • Opt for a colour-changing type of brush head that switches to a new colour when the brush head is overused. It is a great way to let you know that the quality is low and the brush head’s effectiveness is insufficient.
  • Purchase many brush heads on the same day. Not only will this help you to obtain an excellent deal for your money, but this also ensures that you have enough brush heads at home before you run low.

Find the Right Brushes for You

The next time you change your toothbrush or head, it might be worth checking that you’re using the correct type of brushes for your teeth and mouth. Here are some head types for electric toothbrushes.

Angled Heads

An angled toothbrush allows you to reach your teeth’ insides, particularly the lower and upper front teeth. These areas of your mouth are prone to tartar build-up and can be challenging to reach with a regular toothbrush head.

Compact

A compact toothbrush features fewer bristles, which is ideal for you if you have a smaller mouth. These compact heads are more portable, and they’re easier to use if you have petite hands.

Full Size

A full-sized brush is ideal if you have a bigger mouth as it takes less time to clean your teeth than using a small brush.

Cross Action

This shape is for superior cleaning and allows you to clean deep between health for your best oral health yet. It’s also the most advanced brush head of Oral B.

Precision Clean

Choose this head to experience tooth-by-tooth clean that’s comfortable and perfect for beginners. From using this brush, you’ll feel cleaner teeth and healthier gums.

Floss Action

If you floss, you’ll appreciate how clean your mouth feels afterwards. This brush head features advanced MicroPulse bristles that provide a thorough clean and reaches in-between each tooth, making it feel as though you’ve had a dental cleaning from professionals.

Pro White

This head type provides excellent cleaning and whitening without using any harsh chemicals. In just two weeks, this brush head can dramatically whiten your smile and remove surface stains.

Sensitive

Not every person will like the idea of a thorough clean because that can be harsh to the mouth, especially for those who have sensitive teeth. That’s why the sensitive head features soft bristles for superior cleaning without pressing down too hard.

Ortho Care

These bristles are for cleaning around braces and reach all areas of the mouth.

Deep Sweep

This head uses a triple-cleaning action to target stubborn stuck-on plaque.

Oral Care Starts With You

Brushing your teeth twice a day is a great way to care for your mouth, teeth, and gums. However, it should not stop there. It would be best to change your electric toothbrush regularly to make sure it is in its best performance. When to replace an electric toothbrush depends on several factors, such as how long you have been using your toothbrush and how often you use it. It is also essential to choose the right toothbrush head that is well–suited for your mouth. Remember, oral care starts with you, and what better way to achieve it than getting the best electric toothbrush!

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