How to Make Your Tooth Brush Last Indefinitely

Recently, I discovered a way to make my toothbrush last several times longer than usual. I think the recommended retirement age for a toothbrush is 3 months, but my current brush is going on 4 months and looks almost new. Yes, the end is nowhere in sight for this toothbrush!
I have found two things that help achieve a longevous toothbrush.

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1) Rinse your toothbrush thoroughly (for about ten seconds) after brushing.

2) Hold your toothbrush with only two fingers in a light grip.

3)  Use regular Crest toothpaste.  (Actually, I think you can use any type of toothpaste, but some kinds (like Crest Total Care) require extra, extra long rinsing.

I discovered these longevity techniques by accident about seven months ago. That's when I decided I didn't like the natural buildup of tooth-pasty residue on my toothbrush handles. To combat that, I started rinsing it much longer after brushing. This not only kept the residue away, but I noticed the bristles stayed together (meaning they didn't splay outwards) for much, much longer! Then I discoverd the second important aspect of toothbrush longevity: light pressure. After my wife borrowed my toothbrush for a week and scrubbed the enamel off her teeth, my toothbrush looked completely worn out. I hadn't realized pressure was important before, because I was already brushing lightly (after an oral hygenist chastised me for brushing too hard, resulting in my early onset receding gumlines). So brush lightly!

When visiting my in-laws, I used their toothpaste, a "total care" kind that does tartar control amongst other things.  It turned out that my toothbrush was stiffening up because even rinsing for 10+ seconds it rinsed out in chunks.  So use a regular toothpaste (I use Crest because it's the cheapest).

Of course there's always the ultimate toothbrush saving technique: Don't brush! :)

Update! I have now been using this same toothbrush for over two years! There is still no end in sight!

I just soak it in alcohol or hydrogen peroxide (8%) overnight every few months to disinfect.

I did have to cut off a bristle that decided to poke itself out sideways once.  Other than that, this thing is astonishing like-new.

I'm now starting to wonder if the main factor is that this toothbrush is a generic brand, hence the company hasn't performed any "factory planned obsolescence research."

Whatever, I'm still saving myself $1 every three months.  (Yay, one more buck for me.)