Your Toothbrush Can Be a Health Hazard
Your toothbrush is like a lab petri dish.
No wonder — you store it in your bathroom.
Dr. Tom Glass, a forensic dentist and pathology professor at Oklahoma State University, said toothbrushes can become perfect breeding grounds for the kinds of oral diseases they were designed to prevent.
Glass said some bacteria and virus can also thrive on toothbrushes for up to a week. These include influenza, herpes simplex virus and streptococcus, which causes gum disease.
Glass makes the unusual recommendation to change toothbrushes about every two weeks.
Most Dental Associations are more moderate, suggesting we change toothbrushes every two to three months.Toothbrushes should be changed more often if the bristles are splayed. Also, get a new toothbrush immediately after a cold or flu to prevent reinfection.
To avoid other sources of bacteria, keep your toothbrush away from the toilet.There’s always particles of water splashing off it,
It is advised to clean and dry your toothbrush after each use while storing it standing up in a medicine cabinet away from others.
While chronic bacteria is treated with rinses, it’s a good idea to clean toothbrushes thoroughly. Old toothpaste gummed in the bristles can harbor bacteria.
Brushing with a hard-bristled brush can harm the teeth and gums, making them more sensitive – use a soft bristled brush. Toothbrushes with splayed bristles are evidence that we’re brushing too aggressively.
Teeth should also be cleaned for two minutes or more — about as long as a song, not the 40 seconds most of us give our 32 teeth. And ensure that you floss after wards, brushing does just 70% of the job.
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