Say Goodbye to Crowded, Flared, and Protruding Teeth
October 20, 2022
An essential tool for cleaning your teeth is a toothbrush. Our health is directly impacted by our regular interactions with the mouth cavity. A crucial step in ensuring toothbrush cleaning is replacing the toothbrush.
When the bristles or head of a toothbrush are so worn that they can no longer effectively clean teeth, it should be changed. Its wear-down rate is influenced by how often and forcefully it is used. Many toothbrushes contain color-coded bristle wear indicators, such as a blue band, that signal when the bristles need to be changed.
For 1-3 months, it is advisable to change the toothbrush. According to studies, a variety of bacteria, including Candida albicans, Klebsiella pneumoniae, hemolytic chain ball, etc., will be created after using the new toothbrush for four weeks. Reproduction and the bacteria’s persistence on toothbrushes pose a possible risk to human health, particularly for those with weakened immune systems and organ transplant recipients. The toothbrush shouldn’t be used for an extended period of time since it plays a key role in the spread of illness. Replace it after 1-3 months.
The bristles of the toothbrush will start to curl after a while, the toothbrush will start to breed a lot of germs, and the stain on the teeth won’t come off as easily. The bristles of the dirty brush may easily pierce the oral mucosa and gums. Wear is brought on by the tooth’s hard tissue. When you brush your teeth improperly, a lot of bacteria and viruses will re-enter the bloodstream and trigger a serious infection.
After each brushing, thoroughly inspect the toothbrush for food residue, store it somewhere dry and airy, and do not keep it in a damp bathroom to create conditions for bacterial growth. When the bristles begin to curl upside down, it should be thrown away and replaced right away.
Because softer bristles bend more than stiff ones, they are better at cleaning hard-to-reach areas than firm ones. Soft bristles may last equally as long as hard ones if the brush is handled properly (either using the rock and roll or round and round techniques).
If there is one benefit to using a hard toothbrush, it is the sense that you are getting a better clean while you brush. As a result of your gums being able to feel the brush’s motion a little better, you can experience that sensation.
The drawback of this is that if you use too much effort while brushing, you risk damaging the gums. Additionally, you run the danger of wearing down your teeth too quickly, particularly close to the gum line where the enamel is the weakest.
As with cutting down a tree by carving a wedge-shaped cut at the base of the trunk, those who use a hard brush and use it horizontally (the incorrect technique to brush) inevitably get cervical abrasion, which is the grooving of their teeth right above the gum line.
This grooving has the effect of at least making the tooth sensitive to cold. If the grooving extends to the pulp, the tooth also has a greater risk of experiencing nerve injury in more severe situations. Additionally, I have seen teeth get so fragile during this procedure that the gum line actually separated from them.
Manufacturers of toothbrushes have decreased the ‘firmness’ of their brushes as a result of realizing over time that firm toothbrushes don’t clean any better than softer ones. The firm ones available now are comparable to the medium ones from before. To prevent undue wear and tear, many of them also include bristles with rounded ends.
In conclusion, using the proper brushing method with a soft toothbrush rather than a hard toothbrush can help you give your teeth a thorough cleaning.
Call us at 407-876-2991 for an appointment or visit Tringas Orthodontics at our Orlando location in Lake Nona where we also serve St Cloud residents. We are located at 13250 Narcoossee Rd, Suite #100, Orlando, FL 32832. Our Windermere office, where we also serve Dr. Phillips, Winter Garden, Metro West and Ocoee, is located at 422 Main St, #2, Windermere, FL 34786.
Known as “Dr. T” to his patients, Andrew J. Tringas, DMD, MS, is an Orthodontist, creating outstanding smiles for his patients every day.
