So... Just how often do you need to replace your toothbrush really?

Anyone out there a permie and a dentist or hygienist or something of the sort who could tell me if you really do need a new toothbrush every 3-6 months? I brush twice a day and floss every day before bed. My dentist says I have good teeth with no sign of decay. I haven't swapped out my toothbrush in like...a year now. I have one of those bamboo handle brushes with the lgbt rainbow brush head. Am I setting myself up for huge dental bills and horrid decay, or is the notion of replacing that often predicated on selling more toothbrushes or what have you?

Note: obviously I'm asking for advice but will not consider anything posted here to be legally binding client-dentist advice or anything like that. I am just trying to talk comrade to comrade. I am not a litigious person.

I don't replace mine on any set schedule. Good technique is a big part of it. But the difference in effective cleaning is a real thing over time. When in doubt, manipulate a new one and a used one (same type) with your finger. You'll know.

Around here, a retired toothbrush has a long and illustrious life. Great for parts cleaning, reaching into awkward crevices in the washing machine, etc. etc. When the end comes there are no bristles left.

BTW, you're not brushing your teeth so much as you're cleaning/stimulating your gums. That's where there are bona-fide health risks and benefits.

D.W. Stratton wrote:Am I setting myself up for huge dental bills and horrid decay, or is the notion of replacing that often predicated on selling more toothbrushes or what have you?

I would say you are fine either way. A new manual tooth brush every 6 months is an expense that's not worth considering as far as I'm concerned. (I think my last toothbrush was $2)

For the trendy bamboo toothbrush you have, it's price tag is already marked up a lot, but again, $7 every 6 month isn't much. If $7 spares you from the worry of a big dentist bill, then I'd say that alone is worth it.

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And on the other side, as long as there are still a decent amount of bristles on it, which I'm sure there are, I would think it should be effective enough to do it's job. I'm not sure why a piece of plastic would have an expiry date outside of being an attempt to standardize oral hygiene guidelines for dentists and the general population. (similar to the purpose of food charts)

Flip a coin if you're in a fun mood. :)

Jarret Hynd wrote:

D.W. Stratton wrote:Am I setting myself up for huge dental bills and horrid decay, or is the notion of replacing that often predicated on selling more toothbrushes or what have you?

I would say you are fine either way. A new manual tooth brush every 6 months is an expense that's not worth considering as far as I'm concerned. (I think my last toothbrush was $2)

For the trendy bamboo toothbrush you have, it's price tag is already marked up a lot, but again, $7 every 6 month isn't much. If $7 spares you from the worry of a big dentist bill, then I'd say that alone is worth it.

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And on the other side, as long as there are still a decent amount of bristles on it, which I'm sure there are, I would think it should be effective enough to do it's job. I'm not sure why a piece of plastic would have an expiry date outside of being an attempt to standardize oral hygiene guidelines for dentists and the general population. (similar to the purpose of food charts)

Flip a coin if you're in a fun mood. :)

I'm concerned about landfill creep. I use a biodegradable brush for that purpose so the only plastic, including packaging, is the bristles. As you say, there are still bristles and when I go to the dentist they tell me I have nice healthy gums.

I just replaced mine after 8 months and I noticed that the new one was much more effective. It was much easier to miss spots and get the back teeth with the old one. Btw my teeth are great.

Have you thought about using a natural toothbrush that can be composted instead of going to the landfill?

https://permies.com/t/62603/Neem-tree-Permaculture-Toothbrush

https://permies.com/t/6508/personal-care/purity/natural-toothbrush

https://thebamandboo.com/blogs/the-bam-boo-blog/100-organic-toothbrush-vs-vegan-toothbrush

I have no set schedule.  As a guess, I suspect o go through 3 a year.  I buy in bulk from https://www.ecoafter.com

The bristles do wear out and become less effective, long before they are all splayed out sideways. I get a new brush from my dentist every 6 months after cleanings, and it always works better than the one I used that morning...

Sure they'll still scrub, and who cares if it's grime in a crevice of your toaster oven, or some tractor parts. (but the newer ones work better here too.) I'd rather a new one for my mouth.

I find that if my teeth feel fuzzy, it's usually because my toothbrush is getting old. As soon as I start using a new toothbrush, my teeth don't turn fuzzy after a few hours the way they do with an old one.

I bought a little dental cleaning tool set at CVS and every so often I scrape out the plaque, that toothbrush and floss don't seem to get.

Douglas Alpenstock wrote:I don't replace mine on any set schedule. Good technique is a big part of it. But the difference in effective cleaning is a real thing over time. When in doubt, manipulate a new one and a used one (same type) with your finger. You'll know.

Around here, a retired toothbrush has a long and illustrious life. Great for parts cleaning, reaching into awkward crevices in the washing machine, etc. etc. When the end comes there are no bristles left.

BTW, you're not brushing your teeth so much as you're cleaning/stimulating your gums. That's where there are bona-fide health risks and benefits.

Douglas is exactly right.  Definitely clean off your pearly whites, but focus on your gums. That is where the real health benefit comes from.  Hitting the teeth will get rid of sugars stuck to your teeth, and will help whiten stains, but this is really about gum health.

As for replacing the toothbrush, I'd say if you rinse it off well between brushings and generally keep a tidy bathroom, you can go 4 months or more. It is less about the bristle condition and more about making sure you don't have any bacteria growing in the brush.

Remember, the investment in daily tooth care, even if you go on the rich end, is way less than the cost of dental work.

Kenneth Elwell wrote:
Sure they'll still scrub, and who cares if it's grime in a crevice of your toaster oven...... I'd rather a new one for my mouth.

With the mask-wearing, I'm finding I no longer need to brush my teeth!....    :-?  


I do recall the Seinfeld episode where Kramer was returning Jerry's toothbrush ...... Jerry:  "What were you doing with my toothbrush?!..."
                                                                                                                        Kramer: "Oh...don't worry, I didn't use it in my mouth....."    :-/

I use peelu tree roots. Each one lasts about a month and they are wonderful additions to the compost. I do wish I had an alternative I could source locally but for now this works well for me.

I'm also guilty of not having a set schedule. I go by bristle feel but I would estimate they get changed out every three to five months?