Saying Goodbye To Your Old Toothbrush

THE AMERICAN DENTAL ASSOCIATION STRONGLY SUGGESTS that we replace our toothbrushes every 3–4 months for maximum effectiveness. That can be even more important to remember when you have braces.

Know When To Say Goodbye

Take a close look at your toothbrush bristles. Are they frayed? Smashed? Discolored? Kinda gross? It’s time for a new toothbrush.

If you’re brushing correctly (gently), the signs of a less effective toothbrush may be less visible. That’s why it’s important to mark your calendar! After a few months, you may start noticing that although your brushing routine hasn’t changed, your teeth just don’t feel as clean.

When bristles become slanted and curved it prevents them from reaching where they need to—around the gum line and between teeth, and around brackets and wires on your braces. Bristles also lose their elasticity, keeping them from achieving an important gentle-sweeping movement. Research also shows worn toothbrushes don’t reduce plaque as well as a new ones.

Turn Your Old Toothbrush Into A Playground!

TerraCycle® and Colgate® have partnered to create the Colgate Oral Care Brigade®, a free recycling program for oral care product packaging and a fundraising opportunity for participants.

Take Good Care Of Your New Toothbrush

• Rinse your toothbrush thoroughly after each use.
• Don’t store it in a closed container. Allow it to air-dry.
• Don’t share your toothbrush with others.
• Replace your toothbrush every 3-4 months!

Wondering About The Cool Toothbrush Image Above?

At the top of this blog post, there’s a closeup photo of a giant disco ball that was constructed to bring awareness to toothbrush recycling:

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Top image by Flickr user Jennifer Morrow used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original. In text image by Flickr user Jnzl used under Creative Commons Attribution-Sharealike 4.0 license. Image cropped and modified from original.