Air filter paranoia?

[99' Powerstroke]

I just cleaned my AFE pro guard 7 filter but I'm not sure if I was a little too rough on it. I used a parts cleaning brush with plastic bristles to get the big dirt and bugs off it but now I'm wondering if I could have damaged it and should have used a softer brush. Or am I just being paranoid? I never know just how much oil to put on these things either.

[ttyR2]

Put a light inside of the filter and check for holes and tears. If you don't see any, it's probably fine.