TOOTHBRUSH CARE: STAYING SAFE AND HEALTHY

STAY SAFE AND HEALTHY

According to oral health experts, toothbrushes serve as the most lucrative sites for germs, especially when these dental health essentials aren’t covered. In fact, uncovered toothbrushes allow diarrhea-causing bacteria like E. coli and other bacteria like staphylococci to thrive and attack an individual’s health.

An important thing to understand is the fact that a person’s mouth is naturally full of microorganisms regardless of the use of uncovered toothbrush. And, what actually leads to health problems is bacterial imbalance in the mouth. It should also be kept in mind that plaque is a thin layer of bacteria and each time the teeth are brushed, bacteria is being put on the toothbrush.

Most oral health experts believe that these bacteria on the toothbrush shouldn’t be blamed for common illnesses.  Irrespective of the number of bacteria present in the mouth, the body’s in-built defense systems make it very unlikely that an individual will suffer from an infectious disease just by brushing the teeth. However, it is important to realize that taking care of toothbrushes is extremely important to rule out any chances of harmful or disease-causing bacterial growth in the mouth.  This also means that there should be no compromise on basic hygiene when using or storing the toothbrush.

In many cases, individuals make the terrible mistake of brushing the teeth where all the flushing is done. Typically, most bathrooms aren’t very spacious and in most cases, the toilet and bathroom sink are very close to each other. Since a toilet flush spreads bacteria in the atmosphere, having uncovered toothbrushes placed near the toilet only allows bacteria to make their way into the exposed toothbrushes. Therefore, it is extremely important to ensure that toothbrushes aren’t stored anywhere close to the toilet. Moreover, it is very important that hands are thoroughly washed before using the toothbrush for cleaning.