How much toothpaste does the average person use a year?

0 votes
asked Oct 26, 2024 in Dental by Cawsugger (760 points)
How much toothpaste does the average person use a year?

1 Answer

0 votes
answered Nov 2, 2024 by NellieTapia (2,250 points)
The average person uses as much as 6 tubes of toothpaste a year.

The average person also brushes their teeth 2 times per day and uses a pea sized amount of toothpaste which is around 0.25 grams of toothpaste which means that a 24 gram tube of toothpaste should last around 48 days.

Some people use more than others but 6 tubes of toothpaste is average.

You can use too much toothpaste which can be harmful to your gums and teeth and lead to swallowing of the excess toothpaste.

Using too much toothpaste can cause fluorosis from the fluoride which is a condition that can discolor the teeth and make them pitted or rough and most often affects children under 8 years old.

Too much toothpaste can also damage tooth enamel and increase risk of cavities.

You only need to add enough toothpaste to cover the top of the toothbrush and using more won't make your teeth any cleaner.

The amount of times you can brush your teeth with a tube of toothpaste depends on the size of the tube of toothpaste.

However for example a 3.4 ounce tube of toothpaste can allow you to brush your teeth as many as 80 times.

A tube of toothpaste often lasts around 14 to 30 days depending on the size of toothpaste tube, although it may only last 10 days depending on how much toothpaste you use.

A large tube of toothpaste can sometimes last as long as 1 month to 3 months depending on how often you brush your teeth.

A 3.4 ounce tube of toothpaste lasts me around 40 days when I brush my teeth twice a day.

After brushing your teeth you should rinse your mouth with some water and then spit out the toothpaste into the sink or a cup.

You can also spit the toothpaste out into the toilet if you want to keep your sink clean.

Avoid swallowing the toothpaste although if you do accidentally swallow a bit of toothpaste you will fine but may get an upset stomach.

You can tell if toothpaste is bad by the expiration date and changes in texture, taste or smell and whether or not it has separated.

When toothpaste goes bad it will often become gritty, dry and clumpy and often will smell off or taste bad.

If the toothpaste has separated into a liquid or paste then it's a sign that the toothpaste is bad.

Toothpaste is good for up to 2 years after the expiration date although it remains safe to use many years past that time.

However expired toothpaste becomes less effective and may potentially damage tooth enamel especially if it's older than 2 years.

The toothpaste also can dry out and the color, taste and the consistency of the expired toothpaste will also change.

If you use expired toothpaste it won't harm you but the expired toothpaste can be less effective at getting rid of bacteria and preventing tooth decay, cavities etc.

As toothpaste ages and expires it becomes less effective and can even start to become hard, but expired toothpaste is still safe to use.

It's always best to use fresh toothpaste that isn't expired but if all you have is expired toothpaste then it's better than no toothpaste at all.

You should throw out your toothbrush and get a new one every 3 months to 4 months depending on how worn down it gets.

Toothbrushes can become less effective as the toothbrush bristles wear down and they can also collect bacteria even when you wash them.

After 4 months you should throw the toothbrush out and get a new one so it's more effective and also due to the bacteria.

The longest you can and should keep a toothbrush is 4 months when it's used.

As for unused toothbrushes you can keep those for decades as unused toothbrushes never expire and as long as they are kept sealed they can remain good to use for years.

A toothbrush that is unused and not open does not expire.

However once you open the toothbrush and use the toothbrush it should be replaced every 3 months to 4 months of use.

Toothbrushes wear down on the bristles and the bristles of the toothbrush can become worn and frayed and make it less effective in cleaning your teeth.

Overtime toothbrushes can even collect and grow bacteria even when it looks clean.

Also if you've brushed your teeth when you've been sick with the cold, flu or other virus or illness you should replace the toothbrush as you could catch the illness again.

You can keep toothbrushes in their packaging for several years as spares and they never go bad.

However if they are out of their package the bristles may start to dry out and go bad and collect dust and bacteria.

You should also always rinse your toothbrush under some hot water after use to help remove bacteria that can gather on the toothbrush after brushing your teeth.

If you brush your teeth more aggressively then the toothbrush may wear down quicker and need replaced sooner.

But for the average person a toothbrush should last 3 to 4 months.

After 4 months you should replace the toothbrush even if it looks good.

108,437 questions

115,360 answers

1,343 comments

7,058,395 users

...