Should I Replace My Toothbrush After Being Sick?
Should I Replace My Toothbrush After Being Sick?
At Macon Smiles, we’re glad to offer comprehensive dental treatment for patients of all ages with the goal of getting them a healthier smile. We place our patients first and we’re always willing to listen to any and all of your questions and concerns. As your trusted Macon dentist and dental team, we’d like to take the time to discuss one of these questions that we commonly get asked. That question is – “Should I replace my toothbrush after being sick?”
So What Should You Do with Your Toothbrush After You’re Sick?
Instinctively, you’ll probably think about tossing your toothbrush after you’ve been sick. After all, it’s got all kinds of gross germs on it, right? Well, that’s not particularly wrong; your germs can last on a toothbrush up to a few days afterward. However, this isn’t exactly harmful for you.
There’s actually no evidence that using the same toothbrush after you’ve been sick will lead to you being any more likely to get sick again. This is because your body builds up antibodies during the time that you had an illness. What this essentially means is that your body was building up an immunity to your illness while you were sick. Any germs that are still lingering on the toothbrush won’t really pose you any harm any longer.
However, you may want to think about changing your toothbrush if you share your bathroom with others. While you won’t have to worry about your toothbrush infecting you again with the same sickness you had, those germs can still spread to others and make them sick.
Truthfully, the choice is entirely up to you. While you can change your toothbrush after you get sick, it’s really not necessary. We suggest continuing with the standard of just replacing your toothbrush once every three to four months.
Contact Your Macon Dentist Today!
If you have any further questions, we encourage you to contact us and let us know. We’re always glad to answer any questions that you may have! If you’d like to schedule an appointment with your Macon dentist, feel free to fill out our online appointment request form. We look forward to helping you achieve a healthier smile!