{"id":123,"date":"2020-03-11T14:52:29","date_gmt":"2020-03-11T14:52:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/?p=123"},"modified":"2020-04-20T14:52:48","modified_gmt":"2020-04-20T14:52:48","slug":"skokie-dentist-time-replace-toothbrush","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/2020\/03\/11\/skokie-dentist-time-replace-toothbrush\/","title":{"rendered":"When Was the Last Time You Replaced Your Toothbrush?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/AdobeStock_181217614-300x200.jpeg\" alt=\"New, clean toothbrush next to old toothbrush with frayed bristles. \" class=\"wp-image-124\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/AdobeStock_181217614-300x200.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/AdobeStock_181217614-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/AdobeStock_181217614-1024x683.jpeg 1024w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Have you taken a close look at your toothbrush lately? Even\nthough we use it twice a day, it can be difficult to tell when your toothbrush\nhas become worn down. However, keeping it past its prime could end up doing\nyour pearly whites more harm than good. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/preventive-dentistry.html\">Your Skokie\ndentist<\/a> explains a few key indicators it\u2019s time for a new toothbrush, and\nwhat can happen if you keep using your old one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Signs It Is Time for a New Toothbrush<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s common knowledge that toothbrushes aren\u2019t meant to last\nforever, but when do they outwear their usefulness? According to research from the\nAmerican Dental Association and toothbrush manufacturers, you should replace\nyour toothbrush:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>After using it for three to four months.<\/li><li>As soon as the bristles become frayed or\nflattened.<\/li><li>Once you\u2019ve recovered from a contagious illness\nsuch as a cold or the flu.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Happens if You Keep Using an Old Toothbrush?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You can\u2019t keep your smile clean with a dirty or ineffective\ntoothbrush. The bristles will be bent out of shape after three to four months,\nor sooner if you brush your teeth too hard. Studies show that frayed bristles can\nlead to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li><strong>Bad breath: <\/strong>Old toothbrush bristles can\ntrap previously removed plaque, bacteria, and bits of food, then reintroduce\nthem into your mouth the next time you brush your teeth. As these particles are\nbroken down, they release foul odors that cause bad breath. <\/li><li><strong>Oral infections: <\/strong>If the bristles become\nloose or detached while brushing, they can be accidentally lodged between your\nteeth and gums. This could lead to irritation, sores, and eventually even oral\ninfections. <\/li><li><strong>Plaque buildup: <\/strong>Simply put, frayed\ntoothbrush bristles leave behind a considerable amount of plaque. Even if you\nbrush your teeth for two minutes twice a day with your old toothbrush, you\u2019re\nat a higher risk of tooth decay, gum disease, and other oral health infections\ncaused by plaque buildup than if you were using a new one. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What to Look for When Replacing Your Toothbrush<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>When choosing your next toothbrush, always look for the ADA\u2019s\nSeal of Approval. This indicates that the product has been thoroughly tested\nand meets high standards of quality, safety, and effectiveness. Traditional\nmanual toothbrushes are easy to use, convenient to keep with you, and give you\nfull control over your brushing speed and pressure. Modern electric\ntoothbrushes can be slightly more complicated to use and travel with, but they\noffer a variety of useful features like timers, sensors, and modes. Whichever\nyou choose, pick an option you can hold easily, that can comfortably reach all\nyour teeth, and has soft bristles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Brushing your teeth is essential to both a beautiful smile\nand good oral health, so it\u2019s important to do it right! Replace your toothbrush\nevery three to four months to keep your smile happy and healthy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">About the Practice<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><em>At Dental Dynamics in Skokie, IL, we truly believe an ounce\nof prevention is worth a pound of cure. That\u2019s why Dr. Jon Davidson and his\nhighly trained team of specialists recommends getting a dental checkup every six\nmonths. They use state-of-the-art dental technology like the CT\/ Cone Beam\nScanner and a digital impression system to ensure you are as comfortable as\npossible when getting the excellent oral health care you deserve. They\u2019re also always\nhappy to take the time to go over the best ways to care for your smile at home,\nso if you have more questions about when to replace your toothbrush, feel free\nto contact them via their <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/contact-us.html\">website<\/a> or at <strong>(847)\n329-9801. <\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Have you taken a close look at your toothbrush lately? Even though we use it twice a day, it can be difficult to tell when your toothbrush has become worn down. However, keeping it past its prime could end up doing your pearly whites more harm than good. Your Skokie dentist explains a few key [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=123"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":125,"href":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/123\/revisions\/125"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=123"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=123"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dentaldynamics.net\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=123"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}