Don't doubt it, the toothbrush you are using may be dirtier than the toilet

There are always colleagues complaining about their husbands:

I brushed my teeth too hard and the bristles started to curl up within a month. I can still use such a toothbrush for half a year without changing it.

In fact, these problems visible to the naked eye are not the biggest problems with toothbrushes.

It's probably much dirtier than we think...

How dirty are toothbrushes? We collected 8 toothbrushes from our colleagues, all of which had been used for more than 3 months.

These toothbrushes have different usage conditions and can represent the actual situation of some populations. We sent the toothbrushes to the laboratory for testing to see how well they clean.

The test results are as follows:

The results showed that fungi were detected on the toothbrush heads. Sample No. 8 also contained E. coli, which is not something that should be in the mouth...

We checked some literature and found that many studies pointed out that there are bacterial problems when using toothbrushes:

Studies have shown that the number of bacteria on toothbrushes increases significantly with the use of toothbrushes. After a few weeks of use, the number of bacteria has doubled, up to 700 times.

Some dentists have also found that the number of bacteria in a toothbrush after three weeks of use is 80 times that of toilet water.

Why does a toothbrush that looks clean and easy to use contain so many bacteria?

Why do toothbrushes get dirty? As a cleaning tool, there are many factors that affect the bacterial content of toothbrushes.

Oral transfer

When the toothbrush rubs against the teeth and gums, some of the food residues and bacteria originally in the mouth are cleaned away, and some enter the toothbrush.

The bottom and handle of a toothbrush are difficult to clean thoroughly, and the humid environment in the bathroom provides good breeding conditions for bacteria, so they stay happily.

Therefore, if you share a toothpaste, it can easily lead to cross infection.

Environmental pollution

Generally, people will put toothbrushes, cups, towels, etc. in the bathroom, not far from the toilet.

But the sad fact is that if you flush the toilet without covering the lid, the instantaneous cyclone in the toilet can carry germs or microorganisms up to 6 meters in the air and keep them suspended in the air for several hours.

Other studies have shown that in humid bathrooms, a type of fecal bacteria and pathogens can spread through the air through the aerosol effect.

Feel the despair of the toothbrush, it actually doesn't want to be polluted like this. Therefore, it is a good habit to cover the lid when flushing the toilet.

The animated picture comes from soogif

Based on these reasons, we speculate that the No. 8 toothbrush that was found to have E. coli may be related to poor hygiene habits.

For example, if you don't wash your hands or don't wash them thoroughly after using the toilet, E. coli will get on your hands, and your hands will come into contact with the bristles of a toothbrush. Of course, if you are used to leaving the lid open when flushing the toilet, it will have some impact.

When there are a lot of bacteria and pathogens on a toothbrush, people with poor resistance may experience symptoms such as abdominal pain and gastrointestinal discomfort when brushing their teeth with it.

But don’t worry too much. Although our tests and so many studies have shown that there are bacteria on used toothbrushes, under normal circumstances, our bodies can still resist these bacteria, and you won’t necessarily get sick after using them.

Some suggestions on toothbrushes. When it comes to using toothbrushes, we have compiled some suggestions and methods for you to refer to based on your actual situation.

A good day starts and ends with brushing teeth. This little thing accompanies us every day and is often overlooked. Maybe it is just a small impact at the beginning, and few people will notice it, but over time, the problem will always show up.

I hope this article can bring you some new ideas and lifestyles. Paying attention to the hygiene of your toothbrush is not only a concern for your own health, but also a concern for the health of your family.

References:

[1] Li Gang. Toothbrush bacteria detection and toothbrush disinfection and storage [J]. Oral Care Products Industry, 2017, 27(6): 19-23.

[2] Yang Yuhong, Yi Bocheng, Li Qiuhua, et al. Bacterial detection of toothbrushes of university students and study on the disinfection effect of saline solution [J]. Chinese School Health, 2014, 35(3): 363-365.

[3] Wang Menghong, Yin Wei, Hu Deyu, et al. Bacteriological detection of toothbrushes stored under different conditions after brushing [J]. Journal of Practical Stomatology, 2010, 26(6): 782-784.

[4] Comparison of new and3-month-old toothbrushes in plaque removal. Eugene Tan; ChristopherDaly; Journal of Clinical Periodontology. Volume 29, Issue 7, pages645–650, July 2002