In making sure that your dental health is as best it can be, it's important to take note of a few daily habits that you should be doing. While it may be true that brushing, flossing, and regular dental visits are key to keeping your teeth healthy, it's also important to make sure that the materials you use are at their best and most capable state.

Toothbrushes are one of the main and most common tools in dental cleaning. This is why it's important that you change your toothbrushes when they just start wearing out. How do you know you need a new toothbrush? The tips below should guide you on this.

Examine Your Toothbrush

Your toothbrush will definitely show signs when it is in need of a replacement. Take a good and close look at your toothbrush and examine its bristles. When the bristles of your toothbrush start to look worn out or bent, this is a sign that you should have it replaced. Also, when the bristles appear to be parallel to your teeth when you put them in a straight position instead of the perpendicular way new toothbrushes look, it can only mean one thing. Your toothbrush is as good as dead.

When you have a friend who, as gross as this may sound, used your toothbrush, that means they've sort of infected your toothbrush with the bacteria from their mouth. If you continue using it, you'll expose yourself to the same bacteria. Yes, your toothbrush is dead, too.

As a general rule, the American Dental Association advises that toothbrush replacements should be done every 3 or 4 months. Toothbrushes get worn out over time and the fraying bristles of old toothbrushes have not only lost their structural ability to clean your teeth very thoroughly, they can also be hard and damaging to your gums.

The Proper Way to Store Toothbrush         

• Keep your toothbrush in an upright position and keep it away from contact with your bathroom counter.
• Avoid letting it sit near other people's toothbrushes.
• Put it in a place where toilet splash won't reach it.
• Keep it dry after use. While toothbrush covers may be good for traveling purposes, your toothbrush needs to air dry when you're at home.

Tips on Getting a New Toothbrush

• Opt for a size that is small enough to reach every nook and corner of your mouth.
• Generally, it's always best to choose softer bristles.
• Brand is not really something so important that you have to think long and hard about. As long as you commit to brushing regularly and properly, you're good to go.

Talk to your dentist, one like Kappenman Family Dental, for help selecting the right toothbrush for your mouth.