Do You Know What’s Lurking on Your
Toothbrush?

Your toothbrush is loaded with germs, say
researchers at England’s University of
Manchester. They’ve found that one
uncovered toothbrush can harbor more
than 100 million bacteria, including E. coli
bacteria, which can cause diarrhea, and
staphylococci (Staph) bacteria that cause
skin infections.
But don’t panic. Your mouth wasn’t exactly
sterile to begin with.


Mouthful of Bacteria
“The bottom line is, there (are) hundreds of
microorganisms in our mouths every day,”
says Gayle McCombs, RDH, MS, associate
professor and director of the Dental
Hygiene Research Center at Old Dominion
University.

That’s no big deal. Problems only start when
there is an unhealthy balance of bacteria in
the mouth, McCombs says.
“It’s important to remember that plaque —
the stuff you’re removing from your teeth

— is bacteria,” says dentist Kimberly Harms,
DDS, consumer advisor for the American
Dental Association. “So you’re putting
bacteria on your toothbrush every time you
brush your teeth.”

Could Your Toothbrush Be Making You
Sick?
Probably not. Regardless of how many
bacteria live in your mouth or have gotten
in there via your toothbrush, your body’s
natural defenses make it highly unlikely that
you’re going to develop an infection simply
from brushing your teeth.


“Fortunately, the human body is usually
able to defend itself from bacteria,” Harms
says. “So we aren’t aware of any real
evidence that sitting the toothbrush in your
bathroom in the toothbrush holder is
causing any real damage or harm. We don’t
know that the bacteria on there are
translating into infections.”


Still, you should exercise some common
sense about storing your toothbrush,
including how close it is to the toilet.


Toothbrush Storage Tips
Once you’ve moved your toothbrush away
from the toilet, here are a few other storage
tips to keep your brush as germ-free as
possible:

•Keep it rinsed. Wash off your toothbrush
thoroughly with tap water every time you
use it.

•Keep it dry. “Bacteria love a moist
environment,” Harms says. Make sure your
brush has a chance to dry thoroughly
between brushings. Avoid using toothbrush
covers, which can create a moist enclosed
breeding ground for bacteria.

•Keep it upright. Store your toothbrush
upright in a holder, rather than lying it
down.

•Keep it to yourself. No matter how close
you are to your sister, brother, spouse, or
roommate, don’t ever use their toothbrush.

Don’t even store your toothbrush side-by-
side in the same cup with other people’s
brushes.

•Whenever toothbrushes touch, they can
swap germs.

When to Toss Your Toothbrush
The best way to limit the bacteria on your
toothbrush is to replace it on a regular
basis.

The American Dental Association
recommends throwing out your toothbrush
every three to four months. If the bristles
become frayed, you’re sick, or you have a
weak immune system, throw it out even
more often. If you use an electric
toothbrush, throw out the head as often as
you’d discard a disposable toothbrush.


Wish you goodluck with a little patience on
the toothbrush!!

The Op deserves a ban for ignoring rule

'14. Please search the forum before creating a new thread on Nairaland.'

This thread is currently on the front page.

Really!