Your toothbrush should be renewed around every 3-4 months or sooner if bristles are frayed.
This is to avoid germs and bacteria multiplying. As toothbrushes are kept in the bathroom, there could be poo particles on your brush!!! When we flush the toilet, the small particles of waste that mix with the water can shoot up to 15 feet in the air and on to our toothbrushes!
Research conducted by the Quinnipiac University found that there is a 60% chance that your toothbrush is covered in poo! If you share a bathroom, theres an 80% chance that this poo is somebody else’s!!!
I like to store mine outside of the bathroom, although not conventional I would much rather not be brushing with the brown stuff!!!
For those who share a bathroom with multiple people, like students you could be brushing with other peoples faeces!!!
It is also a good idea to get rid of toothbrushes after anyone in the household has been sick or had a cold sore. Particularly if you’re ill with a bacterial infection or virus like flu, since storing toothbrushes next to each other can spread.
Choosing the right toothbrush
It can be surprisingly tricky to find a toothbrush that’s a good fit for you, as there is a great deal of variety on the market. Here are some factors to consider:
- Size—You should use a toothbrush with a head that allows you to easily access all areas of your mouth, especially easy-to-miss places like behind your molars and along the rear gum line. This is usually easier with a smaller toothbrush head.
- Bristles—Unless your dentist recommends otherwise, choose a toothbrush with soft nylon bristles. Medium or hard bristles are unnecessary for most people and can actually damage your tooth enamel
- Manual or electric—Data shows little difference in the effectiveness of brushing with a disposable or electric toothbrush, so it’s really a matter of personal choice. Some electric toothbrushes have an automatic timer to ensure that you brush for the recommended minimum of two minutes and as the toothbrush rotates, it doesn’t allow you to press too hard which could cause enamel abrasion.
