Give Your Child a New Toothbrush

Give Your Child a New Toothbrush

Did you ever wonder why we give your child a new toothbrush at every visit? We want to make sure that your child regularly gets a new toothbrush.

While we generally recommend that you schedule your child for two checkups a year, you should actually replace his or her toothbrush, or toothbrush head if you use an electric toothbrush, at least every three months. Here’s why:

• Wear and tear. The more you use your toothbrush, the more the bristles wear down and soften, losing their cleaning power. You may have noticed that some toothbrushes have little peaks and valleys in their shape when viewed from the side. That’s to help get the brush into the curved edges of your teeth and the gaps between them. As the bristles flatten out, they lose that ability.
• Harmful particles. Your toothbrush is designed to get rid of tiny particles of bacteria, plaque and fungi on your teeth. Even if you conscientiously and thoroughly clean your brush, you simply can’t remove all those microorganisms. Over time those particles build up on the bristles, and you end up putting them right back onto your teeth.

Since germs can also breed on toothbrushes, you might want to replace everyone’s toothbrush sooner rather than later if you or your child gets sick.

Some toothbrushes have indicators that let you know when it’s time to get a new one. Pay attention to those indicators (usually specially marked or colored bristles)―some people wear out their toothbrushes faster than others. Bring your child’s three-month-old toothbrush in with you at your next visit to KiDDS Dental, and we’ll be happy to replace it with a brand-new one.

Call us to schedule an appointment today!  (509)-891-7070. We'd love to meet you and your family!