We may be very picky on our personal things even when it comes to our toothbrush. Personally, before I buy a toothbrush, I look at its color and size and see if it fits my qualifications to be my oral cleaning partner. Price is also one of the factor I check before purchasing a new toothbrush. That aside, I also see for myself whether it is genuine or fake. I also check the brush’s bristle- if I see that it is too hard for my gums, I wouldn’t buy it.
When we have our toothbrush at home, we seldom think of changing it. Ever wonder what kind of bacteria present in our toothbrush? Well, we wouldn’t know until we research. Our toothbrush is home to more than 100 million bacteria including E. coli and staphylococci (Staph) bacteria, according to researchers at the University of Manchester in England and the University of Alabama at Birmingham found that fecal germs are on our toothbrushes too.
All that sounds gross, but we needn't panic. Our mouth is also full of bacteria and our toothbrush probably won't make us sick, but there are ways to keep it clean so we stay healthy.
Here are the following tips to ensure the cleanliness of our toothbrushes:
Wash it. Let us give our toothbrush a thorough rinse with tap water to remove debris. If we have a systemic illness or immune disorder, we may want to soak it in antibacterial mouthwash or run it through the dishwasher.
Try deep cleaning. There are many types of toothbrush sanitizers on the market, Some use ultraviolet light to kill microorganisms.
Store it properly. After use, don’t pop that wet toothbrush back into your medicine cabinet, drawer, or bathroom cup and forget about it.
Store it upright, in a rack or cup, where it can dry out. Let us look for a cover that lets air circulate and prevents mold, but isn’t completely sealed. The lack of air can foster bacteria.
We might not be replacing our toothbrush often because we are lazy or we tend to forget the importance of changing our toothbrush.
But why should we often change our toothbrush? Here lies the great reason why: Recent studies found that our toothbrush could be a breeding ground for tiny microorganisms.
The American Dental Association recommends us to change our toothbrush every three to four months, or earlier if it’s frayed or loses shape. Recent studies from Oral-B Laboratories found out that after just one use, a new brush removed 13 percent more plaque than a brush worn down to simulate three months of use- How great is that?.
Compared to old brushes, not only did the new ones remove 24% more plaque between teeth, but they also reduced gingivitis (inflammation of the gums) by almost half!-now that’s good news.
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