If you take care of your electric toothbrush, it will take care of you indefinitely. By contrast, fail to give it the care and maintenance it requires and you will probably be looking at costly replacements on a regular basis. The trouble is, electric toothbrush design and technology have come so far these days that many people assume they will simply look after themselves. The unfortunate truth being, they won’t…at least, not for long.
Why it matters…
There are basically two important reasons why anyone with an electric toothbrush should be proactive with regard to its care and maintenance. The first of these, as already mentioned, being the way in which looking after an electric toothbrush will prolong its life. Regardless of whether you spend £20 or £200 on your chosen toothbrush, you can rest assured that the way you treat it will have a marked impact on how long it lasts.
The other, or perhaps even more important reason, is the way in which the on-going care and maintenance ensures that your electric toothbrush can continue doing its job properly. Even if you invest in the very best electric toothbrush recommended by dentists, it will only perform its duties to 100% of its full potential while it is kept in proper working order. You’ve made the effort to buy one in the first place and clearly have an interest in good oral health – surely it makes sense to keep your brush in the best possible condition…right?
Keeping things clean and well-maintained…
So if you prefer to be proactive, rather than simply letting things slowly degrade, the good news is that it isn’t a particularly difficult job. Quite to the contrary in fact, it’s simply a case of getting yourself into a few everyday and occasional habits, which aren’t exactly demanding.
Starting out with the kinds of things you should be doing every day:
- First of all, make sure that each and every time you use your electric toothbrush, you give it a proper rinse to remove debris and toothpaste. This means going a little further than simply rinsing the end of the brush under running water and thinking no more of it. Give it a thorough rinse and ensure it is as clean as possible.
- In terms of storage, your toothbrush should be stored in an upright position in a manner that will allow the brush head and the rest of the device to dry properly. It’s worth remembering that the longer it takes your brush to dry, the more likely it is it will begin developing harmful levels of bacteria.
- Unless you have an electric toothbrush which specifically states it is a fully waterproof electric toothbrush, don’t even think about using it in the shower. Not only could doing so prove rather dangerous for your own health and safety, but there’s also every likelihood it could completely destroy your toothbrush. There’s a big difference between rinsing your brush under the tap and taking it in the shower with you!
- Many toothbrushes are fitted with failsafe systems that make it impossible to apply too much pressure to your teeth. If your electric toothbrush doesn’t have one, excessive pressure will not only damage your teeth, but also cause the bristles to wear out more quickly and potentially damage the unit itself. The key with an electric toothbrush being that you take things easy and let the brush do the work!
So that’s the daily duties taken care of, now onto more periodic jobs:
- When you first take home a new electric toothbrush, it’s a good idea to charge the battery fully before its first use. In addition, the battery should then be drained fully before once again being put on charge. Rechargeable batteries have come a long way, but their life can still be extended by fully charging and draining them, rather than toping them up in bits and pieces, here and there.
- Even if things still appear to be looking pristine enough, you should still get into the habit of changing your electric toothbrush heads every three months. If possible, use the kinds of toothbrush heads that feature indicated bristles, which will tell you when the time has come to change it.
- Never forget that after any bout of illness whatsoever, it is a good idea to change your electric toothbrush head, which may have become contaminated. And for obvious reasons, don’t even think about sharing your electric toothbrush with other family members while ill – even if you do have your own designated heads.
- Only ever use original plugs, leads, accessories, charging stations and so on that were designed specifically for your device. Anything generic or counterfeit could cause irreparable damage to your brush, while at the same time posing a real health and safety risk.
- If your electric toothbrush is not waterproof but accidentally gets submerged in water, leave it somewhere warm for at least a couple of days to dry out, before attempting to use it again. Under no circumstances should it be placed back on the charger while wet.
- Last up, if you intend to take your electric toothbrush with you on the go, be sure to invest in and use an appropriate travel case. Many electric toothbrushes are surprisingly fragile and could easily be wrecked with a few knocks and bashes while in transit.
Keep the following in mind and there’s no reason why your electric toothbrush cannot continue serving you proudly indefinitely!