How Often Should You Change Your Toothbrush?

While it depends on your brushing habits, the golden rule is to change your toothbrush when it starts to 'flower', advises rediffGURU Dr Shyam Jamalabad.

When was the last time you replaced your toothbrush?

Is it best to use a toothbrush with soft bristles or should you opt for a hard brush?

What is the difference between the two?

rediffGURU Dr Shyam Jamalabad, who has over 30 years of experience in dental care, answers your mouth hygiene questions.

Dr Jamalabad runs a clinic in Mumbai and his patients include both celebrities and slum dwellers.

• You can post your questions to rediffGURU Dr Shyam Jamalabad HERE.
  
  

Anonymous: How often should you change your toothbrush?

How often you need to change your toothbrush depends entirely on your brushing habits.

If you're inclined to brush vigorously, exerting a lot of pressure (which is not good, you need to be gentle), then you may need to change your brush frequently.

If you use a hard brush, it will last you longer. Super soft brushes will last the least.

I normally recommend medium brushes if your gums are healthy.

The golden rule, however, is to change your toothbrush when it starts to 'flower', ie when the bristles curl outwards like the petals of a blossoming flower.

Venkatesh: I am having two polyps at gums, please suggest medicine.

Hello Venkatesh, please consult your dentist.

In my opinion, gum polyps cannot be treated with medicines alone. They may require surgical removal.

Please do not be intimidated. It's a very, very minor procedure.

Also, the cause has to be identified and suitably treated to prevent recurrence.

Please do not rely on home remedies or medicines alone.

Rashmi: Hey doctor, I am suffering from tooth erosion.
I feel uncomfortable every time in my teeth.
I am wondering what happened to me.
Please help and guide me on what I should do to get out of this.

Hello. You are not alone.

Tooth erosion refers to the loss of natural tooth structure (enamel/dentine) due to acidic action.

Tooth erosion is relatively common as many of us suffer from hyperacidity in varying degrees.

Hyperacidity can be caused by a variety of factors -- stress, lack of sleep, irregular meal timings, poor dietary choices, etc.

Enamel erosion can make your teeth extremely sensitive to the hot, cold, sweet or sour elements in our diet.

Enamel loss due to acidic erosion can be exacerbated by aggressive brushing and use of excessive or abrasive toothpastes. This is referred to as tooth abrasion.

While loss of natural tooth structure due to erosion or abrasion can never be got back, there are ways to treat the symptoms of erosion.

Kindly consult your dentist who can evaluate the extent of damage and suggest a suitable remedy.

It could be as simple as using a desensitising medicated toothpaste to 'desensitise' your teeth. Or it could require the placement of fillings, laminates or crowns.

You may also need to consult your general physician to control your hyperacidity.

For starters, you should cut down on all acidic food and carbonated drinks. And also learn to brush your teeth gently with a minimal amount of toothpaste.

Hope this answers your query.

• You can post your questions to rediffGURU Dr Shyam Jamalabad HERE.

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