8 Best tips to take care of your tooth brush

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We all use the toothbrush every morning and night to clean our teeth. Little do we think about the proper care for those brushes, when your toothbrush carries the maximum number of bacteria. So let’s look at the do’s and don’ts of toothbrush care.

Toothbrushes get contaminated by the bacteria in our mouth. Viruses and bacteria continue to strive on the toothbrush surface for weeks. Here are some simple ways of keeping your brush clean.

Wash it well

Make sure to wash your brush well under tap water before and after use. Washing you brush before use helps to wet the bristles and keep the paste in place. It is best if you can rinse the brush with the paste once. Doing this helps the paste lather better. Also wash the brush well to remove all the debris after use.

Keep it dry

Keep you toothbrush upright to dry fully after use. Avoid covering the head of the brush when it is still wet. More bacteria thrive in a closed environment.

Know when to let go

Change your brush when you notice the bristles are frayed. Generally, as a rule change you brush once in 3-4 months. If the bristles fray earlier, it means you are applying too much pressure in brushing. If the bristles don’t fray at the end of even 6 months, it means you are not cleaning enough. The same rule applies to electric brushes also.

No sharing

This is an absolute No-No even among family members. Your toothbrush carries the bacteria from your saliva and can be transmitted to the other person. Teach your children not to share brushes with siblings or friends. Tooth decay can spread from one person to another this way.

Avoid the toilet

Keep your brushes at least 6 feet away from the toilets. Germs become airborne while flushing and can settle on your toothbrushes.

Keep them seperate

If you are keeping more than one brush together in a jar, then place them away from each other. Brushes in touch with the others can spread bacteria and contaminate your brushes.

Change after an illness

Don’t forget to change your brush after an illness, mouth scaling or gum surgery. Using the old brush can have the old microbes come back into your mouth.

No special care

Cleaning the brushes with an anti bacterial mouthwash or any commercially available sanitiser has no beneficial effects in keeping your brush clean. On the contrary, these chemicals can cause damage to your teeth and gums. Also, do not try to clean the brush in a dishwasher. This will only damage the brush.