How often you should replace your toothbrush according to a dentist

Whether you have an extensive morning routine filled with a 12-step skincare routine, pre-work yoga session and a healthy brekkie or you're more of a wash your face and grab a banana and go kinda gal - one thing we all do in the AM is brush our teeth.

However, considering we brush our pearly whites at least twice a day, not many of us actually know how often we should be replacing our toothbrushes.

So, to clear it all up, Dr Safa Al-Naher, Director and Principal Dentist at Serene, has revealed exactly how long you should leave it before buying a new one.

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How often you should change your toothbrush?

According to Dr Al-Naher, we should really be keeping an eye on just how long we're using the same toothbrush for.

She explained you should ideally be switching up your toothbrush on average every two months or when the bristles become frayed.

She added: "Some electric toothbrushes now have an indicator, to tell you when you should change your toothbrush head. So that makes it nice and easy."

Reckon many people out there are guilty of holding onto a pretty knackered-looking toothbrush well overdue a good chuck...

But that wasn't the only common question she answered.

Should you brush your teeth before or after breakfast?

OK - so we know when to throw out the old and bring in the new when it comes to our toothbrushes but what is the definitive answer to the age-old debate over when we should brush our gnashers - before or after breakfast?

Dr Al-Naher says we should be cleaning our teeth definitely beforehand, advising: "We should never brush straight after any meal.

"You need to leave at least 40 minutes after a meal before brushing, so it makes sense to brush beforehand."

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How can you avoid receding gums?

The dentist also shared her tips on how to best avoid receding gums, warning: "If you’re brushing too hard, the best thing to use is an electric toothbrush with pressure sensors.

"The ultrasonic waves are nice and gentle, so they’ll help to break up any plaque and particles."

She said you simply need to make sure that you’re using the toothbrush in the 'correct way', adding: "So not scrubbing backwards and forwards, just leaving the toothbrush in the right area for it to do its thing for a few seconds and then moving on."

So, be sure to keep that in mind when you're brushing twice daily for two minutes a pop.