Is there Bacteria on Your Toothbrush?

Did you know that the #1 tool most people use for cleaning bacteria from their teeth, gums, and mouth, already contains millions, possibly trillions, of bacteria?  If you leave your toothbrush in the bathroom and never disinfect it, you’d better read this article.

In his book, Why Your Toothbrush May Be Killing You Slowly, James Song, a biochemist from Wisconsin University, suggests that a range of serious health problems, including heart disease, stroke, arthritis and chronic infections, could be linked to unhygienic toothbrushes.  Further research by Manchester University found that the average toothbrush contained around ten million germs, including a high percentage of potentially fatal bacteria such as staphylococci, streptococcus, E. coli and candida.  Other studies have shown that over time, a single toothbrush can be the breeding ground for trillions of bacteria specimen.

There are many ways these bacteria latch on to toothbrushes:  Use from an infected user, spray from a flushing toilet, a damp environment that allows the bacteria to breed and grow, and just a general lack of oversight.  Think about it for a moment; would you leave your eating utensils in the bathroom, use them over and over again, and never wash them?

As bad as it sounds, overcoming this potential time bomb is not complicated.  Below are Dr. Moorhead’s 5 simple tips to keep your toothbrush bacteria free.

1. Store your and your family’s toothbrushes in a closet or other dry area outside of the bathroom, where toilet spray and humidity will not be a problem.
2. Clean your toothbrushes daily in the dishwasher along with your eating utensils.  Make sure you have enough toothbrushes to last between dish washings.  If you run your dishwasher every three days, you should own four toothbrushes, unless it takes you 2 days to unload the dishwasher, in which case you would need 6 – you get the drift!
3. If you’re using one toothbrush, you should replace it at least every three months.  If you’re using four toothbrushes, for example, disinfecting them in the dish washer between each use, four brushes should last about a year.  But don’t be skimpy.  If the bristles feel or look weakened, replace it.  Fortunately, toothbrushes are still very inexpensive.
4. Don’t share your toothbrush with anyone.  While it may seem like common sense that the person you kiss daily you’re already sharing germs with anyway, there’s no need to add to that sharing.  We’ve also seen cases where children develop gum disease at an early age just because they use the same toothbrush as their parent who already has the disease.  Gum and bone diseases are not hereditary, but bad habits are often “passed down.”
5. Always use a soft-bristled brush on your teeth and gums.  Hard bristles are for specific dental appliances and Dr. Moorhead will tell you when you need a brush of this type.  Hard bristles on soft gums cause a myriad of problems, ranging from gum shrinkage to a greater risk of infection due to cuts and scrapes.

If you have any questions or would like further advice on disinfecting your toothbrush, please contact us using one of the methods below, or ask us at your next appointment.