A Look at Your Toothbrush from the Eyes of a Long Island Periodontist
You’ve all heard the recommendation to replace your toothbrush every 3 – 4 months or when the bristles begin to fray at the sides, but have you ever heard why? Regular replacement of your toothbrush is highly recommended by a Long Island Periodontist to help reduce bacteria growth and the spread of disease.
Bacteria of all kinds transfer through our saliva where they are easily deposited on our toothbrushes. There they will sit until the next time we put that toothbrush into our warm, moist mouth where bacteria thrives the best. Additionally, bacteria that is floating around the room or lurking on a neighboring toothbrush can easily settle on your toothbrush as it waits to find a new home, your mouth.
In addition to the spread of illness harmful bacteria that lead to gum disease may be lurking in there too, waiting for us to swish that brush around our warm moist mouth. Yet with all those harmful bacteria potentially inhabiting our toothbrush how can we confidently brush twice a day? After all, our goal is to remove harmful bacteria not add it!
There are a few simple measures you can take to reduce the growth of bacteria on your toothbrush including, never share your toothbrush, replace your toothbrush every 3 – 4 months, don’t share or re-use disinfectants used to clean toothbrushes, wash your hands before and after you brush, avoid using community toothbrush holders, don’t store your toothbrush in a closed, airtight container, clean the area you store your toothbrush in often, store your toothbrush in an upright position and allow it to dry.
When it comes to your health there should be no compromise. Protect yourself by placing the care of your toothbrush at the top of your priorities. If you notice changes in the health of your gums schedule a detailed evaluation with your Long Island Periodontist. For patients seeking an alternative approach to treatment contact Dr. Scharf at (631) 661-6633 or visit him on the web at http://drscharf.com . He can treat gum disease with a laser rather than a scalpel.
Tags: bleeding gums Long Island, Long Island peridontist, long island periodontist, periodontist disease Long Island, periodontist in Long Island