How Often Should You Change Your Child’s Toothbrush?

Good oral hygiene is critical for children. The habits that kids learn early in life are going to stick with them into adulthood and throughout their entire life. Keeping a clean and fresh toothbrush is an important part of good oral hygiene.

Keeping the Toothbrush Clean

Bacteria can easily build up on the surface of the toothbrush head. To keep this from happening, the toothbrush should be well shaken under water after each brushing session. Brushes should always be stored standing up, as this allows them to dry as quickly as possible. A toothbrush holder is a worthwhile investment for anyone, and especially for anyone who wants to teach their kids good oral hygiene habits. Be sure that toothbrushes don’t touch each other while in the holder.

Replacing the Toothbrush

Toothbrushes definitely have a life span. For kids, the life span may be even shorter since they can tend to be rough on their toothbrushes. According to the American Dental Association, toothbrushes need to be replaced around once every three months. This is primarily due to bristle wear. As the bristles wear down, the amount of plaque they’re able to remove goes down significantly.

The Toothbrush Replacement Routine

To remember when to replace the toothbrush, it’s best to buy a new brush at each six month check-up, and again whenever it’s been three months since the last check-up. Consider changing with the seasons to make it even easier.

Want to learn more? Sunshine Smiles is a pediatric dentistry provider for infants, children, and adolescents. The staff is trained in dealing with special needs patients as well. They serve patients throughout the Space Coast in central Florida. Both dentists in the practice are Diplomates of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry.