Rules of thumb for toothbrush care

Although you can always buy a new toothbrush, you still must take care of it not only to make it last longer but to prevent dental disease and injured caused by toothbrushes in bad conditions.

• First rule of thumb is NEVER sharing your toothbrush with anybody else, not even your closest relatives or partner. This is an important issue for people with vulnerable immune systems or infectious diseases as oral herpes and HIV/AIDS. 

• Second rule: Change your toothbrush every three or four months. Some people seem they only renew their toothbrush when the last bristle comes off!  

• Third rule: This is not only because an old toothbrush is a little bag of bacteria, but also because it loose its mechanical efficiency. 

• Fourth rule: Make sure you buy a toothbrush holder that keeps them separated. 

• Fifth rule: Do not cover them or keep them in closed cases (attention with the travel toothbrush). The moist environment within the case favors bacterial growth more than open air.  

Finally, I have heard the trick of washing your toothbrush in a dishwasher or sterilizing it in a microwave. Just NO: domestic disaster.