May 06, 2015
The Gross Reason Why You Need to Change Your Toothbrush Now
We use your toothbrushes along with minty, refreshing toothpaste to make our mouthes feel fresh and sparkling clean. As a self proclaimed compulsive brusher, I tend to clean my teeth at least 3 times a day. But what we don't consider is something we can't even see: bacteria.
Bacteria live all around us. There are millions lurking in our own mouth, not to mention chilling in our bathrooms. All of these bacteria live in the bristles of our toothbrush, from e coli (an intestinal bacteria that can cause anything from mild diarrhea to serious vomiting and cramping) to staph (a fairly benign bacteria that can cause infection in some cases). E coli typically gets on your brush by becoming airborne after you flush your toilet!
There are ways to prevent your pearly whites from being cleaned with germs and bacteria.
1) Clean your brush daily. Make sure you scrub your brush with water thoroughly after use to get out any leftover debris and create a clean environment within the bristles.
2) Don't share your toothbrush.
You might think it's cute now that you're coupled up to share your brush with your man, but this is putting both of you at serious risk of infection.
3) Change your brush every 3 months. Be sure to switch up your brush often. Always switch it up after you've been sick. When it comes to kids brushes, switch them even more frequently as they tend to chew on the bristles wearing them out easier.
4) Don't store your toothbrush near the toilet. If this is unavoidable, try closing the lid before you flush and make it a habit. This will help stop the spread of germs when you flush.
Got any tips of your own? Let us know!
Bacteria live all around us. There are millions lurking in our own mouth, not to mention chilling in our bathrooms. All of these bacteria live in the bristles of our toothbrush, from e coli (an intestinal bacteria that can cause anything from mild diarrhea to serious vomiting and cramping) to staph (a fairly benign bacteria that can cause infection in some cases). E coli typically gets on your brush by becoming airborne after you flush your toilet!
There are ways to prevent your pearly whites from being cleaned with germs and bacteria.
1) Clean your brush daily. Make sure you scrub your brush with water thoroughly after use to get out any leftover debris and create a clean environment within the bristles.
2) Don't share your toothbrush.
You might think it's cute now that you're coupled up to share your brush with your man, but this is putting both of you at serious risk of infection.
3) Change your brush every 3 months. Be sure to switch up your brush often. Always switch it up after you've been sick. When it comes to kids brushes, switch them even more frequently as they tend to chew on the bristles wearing them out easier.
4) Don't store your toothbrush near the toilet. If this is unavoidable, try closing the lid before you flush and make it a habit. This will help stop the spread of germs when you flush.
Got any tips of your own? Let us know!