HOW OFTEN should one change a toothbrush – now that’s a good question.
Some electric toothbrushes are designed to signal when to change the heads or brush”: the bristles change color from green to yellow.
The American Dental Association recommends that the toothbrush be replaced every three to four months and when the bristles are frayed.
Frayed bristles lose their effectiveness in brushing the tooth surface to remove plaque and reaching the hard-to-reach nooks and crannies.
The US Centers for Disease Prevention and Control recommends that the toothbrush should be retired every three to four months or whenever it is worn out. That is, once the bristles become soft and start to lose their stiffness.
In this pandemic time, dentists also recommend that those who have recovered from COVID-19 infection should replace their toothbrushes (and tongue cleaners, if using them) right away.
The obvious reason: to avoid re-infection.
According to the World Health Organization, the COVID virus spreads through tiny droplets that come out from an infected person’s mouth when they sneeze, cough, laugh, shout and talk.
“If you or anyone in your family and friend circle have contracted COVID-19, once recovered, please ensure to change your toothbrush, tongue cleaner etc. These can harbor the virus, and it is best they are discarded,” Dr. Pravesh Mehra, a dental surgeon at the Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi, told India Today.
The newspaper also quotes Dr. Bhumika Madan, a dental consultant at the Aakash Healthcare Super Speciality Hospital, in New Delhi, as saying that Covid patients should change their toothbrush and tongue cleaner after 20 days of getting the first symptoms.
The reason: the virus may still be on the toothbrush and cause reinfection. Virus or bacteria persists on a toothbrush and they can cause upper respiratory tract infections.
“As a prevention, we prescribe using mouthwash that helps in reducing the build-up of virus/bacteria in the mouth,” Dr. Madan said. “If mouthwash is not available, rinsing the mouth with warm saline water also works fine.”
One must also maintain oral hygiene and brush at least twice a day, he said.
Dentists also recommend that COVID patients disinfect and dry their toothbrush and tongue cleaner every time after use.
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Dr. Joseph D. Lim is the former Associate Dean of the UE College of Dentistry, former Dean of the College of Dentistry, National University, past president and honorary fellow of the Asian Oral Implant Academy, and honorary fellow of the Japan College of Oral Implantologists. Honorary Life Member of Thai Association of Dental Implantology. For questions on dental health, e-mail jdlim2008@gmail.com or text 0917-8591515./PN
