How To Clean A Toothbrush After Dropping It

Your apprehensive old toothbrush might look innocent enough. Simply it'due south a huge bacteria magnet.

A toothbrush can comprise over 10 one thousand thousand bacteria including Due east. coli and Staph, says a Academy of Manchester study.

"In an unbrushed oral fissure, there can be as many germs every bit a dirty bathroom floor," prosthodontist Dr. Ann Wei told Grandparents.com.

Your toothbrush can exist contaminated past the water splashed when we wash our easily, or worse, by leaner from an open-flushed toilet. Eww.

Nasties that autumn from toilet spray remain airborne long enough to settle on surfaces throughout the bath.

And if yous drop your toothbrush on the floor, the five 2d rule does non apply.

It picks up airborne leaner that has settled on the floor and everything else that people traipse through via their feet.

Now that nosotros've totally grossed you out, are you fix to start giving your toothbrush the respect it deserves? Here's how to proceed your toothbrush clean:

Get a new brush

You lot should supervene upon your brush every three to 4 months, or when the bristles go a bit tattered.

Utilize the right toothpaste

Some toothpastes are amend than others at killing germs. Buy one that contains triclosan or copolymer — it's better than regular fluoride toothpastes at killing oral leaner.

Don't share toothbrushes

Proceed your leaner to yourself. When yous're squeezing toothpaste onto your brush, make certain y'all don't printing the opening onto the bristles. "It's better to lay the toothpaste over the brush without physically contacting the toothpaste opening," says Wei.

Clean your brush thoroughly

Make sure you rinse your brush thoroughly later each use. And occasionally soak information technology in mouthwash or hydrogen peroxide, peculiarly if you lot've dropped it on the flooring.

"I occasionally put mine through the dishwasher," said a spokesman for the American Dental Association.

Shut the toilet chapeau

E'er close the toilet chapeau before you flush. Every time.

Expose information technology to air

Dentists say you shouldn't store your toothbrush in an closed container. The best way to store your toothbrush is in the medicine chiffonier — that way, it however gets enough air, but is protected from external leaner. And when toothbrushes are stored together, make sure the heads don't touch.