It’s fair to say that in the Western world, most people know that teeth need to be cleaned for two minutes, twice a day.

By failing to do this as the bare minimum, you open yourself up to the threat of oral health-related problems. However, fewer people are aware of how often they need to change their toothbrush.

No toothbrush is immortal. Regardless of whether you use a manual or an electric toothbrush, you will need to change the head regularly.  

How often do I change my toothbrush?

Both electric and manual toothbrush heads need to be changed every 3 months.

It’s also a good idea to change your head after you’ve been unwell, as you don’t want the remnants of sickly bacteria living on your brush once you’re better again.

How can I tell that my toothbrush needs replacing?

So, how can you tell it’s time to toss out your old toothbrush head?

You should purchase a new manual toothbrush or replace your electric toothbrush head if you notice the bristles are starting to fray.

This is because the bristles need to flex slightly in order to efficiently clean your teeth. Whilst it might feel more comfortable to brush your teeth when the bristles aren’t as stiff, your brush will not be nearly as effective.

Some brush heads employ indicators to help you identify that it’s time they need to be replaced. These come in the form of colour strips, which change colour when the brush has sustained a certain degree of wear.

What happens if I don’t regularly change my toothbrush head?

There are a few compelling reasons to change your toothbrush head every 3 months. If you’re not already doing so, one of these points is sure to persuade you to from now on!

Germs

For most of us, our toothbrush’s home is the bathroom. This is problematic, especially if you don’t routinely put the toilet lid down. When you flush the toilet, droplets from the toilet bowl can travel through the air, landing on your brush. We won’t go into detail, but this is less than ideal for your oral health! Keeping your brush in a case can help to minimise the issue.

Wear

Toothbrush bristles are prone to wear. Once they are worn down (characterised by looking frayed and going off in all different directions), your toothbrush is no longer fit for purpose. Using a frayed toothbrush will simply be a waste of your time. When you’re committing to 4 minutes a day of brushing time, you want it to count, especially when you put it into this context: the average person spends 39 days in a lifetime (up until the age of 70), brushing their teeth!

Gum recession

Once your toothbrush bristles have become worn, it’s common to start overbrushing your teeth, since you don’t feel like you’re achieving the same clean as when the bristles were stiffer and unfrayed.

This puts you at risk of gum recession, whereby the gums begin to pull away from the teeth. If you’re prone to overbrushing your teeth in general, an electric toothbrush could be the best way forward.

Which toothbrush is best – manual or electric?

Which brings us onto… which type of toothbrush is best for you? Both electric and manual toothbrushes are fit for purpose, but your brushing habits can dictate which might suit you best.  

Electric toothbrushes use an oscillating head, so you don’t have to rely on your own dexterity as much as you do when using a manual toothbrush.

Simply hold the head down on each tooth, and let the oscillating head do the hard work for you, and without causing further gum recession.

Meanwhile, if you aren’t someone who is displaying signs of gum recession and you have good manual dexterity, there’s no reason why you can’t use a manual toothbrush.

Your dentist will be able to identify evidence of gum recession and whether this is due to overenthusiastic brushing or a condition such as gum disease.

The Takeaway

Whether you’re using a manual brush or an electric brush, the key takeaway is that you should be changing the head every 3 months.

In doing so, you will have the peace of mind that you’re getting the most of the time you spend brushing your teeth, which can feel quite satisfying.