Every day, at least twice, you should brush your tooth to remove bacteria, food debris, and plaque from your mouth. However, while brushing your teeth leaves your mouth cleaner, your toothbrush now hosts the germs and debris from your mouth. Also, since most people store their toothbrushes in the bathroom, they will collect bacteria that linger in the air. Thus, while you thoroughly rinse your toothbrush after brushing your teeth, you may still need to disinfect it to ensure it is safe for use.
WHEN YOU SHOULD SANITIZE YOUR TOOTHBRUSH
A toothbrush is not sold in sterilized packaging. Hence, you may need to sanitize it before you start using it to get rid of any germs that might accumulate while it is still on the shelves. Also, given that the mouth hosts bacteria, which we remove through brushing, you need to sanitize your toothbrush. While some may drain during the final rinse, a significant amount may remain on your toothbrush. Finally, after recovering from a respiratory illness, you should sanitize or replace your toothbrush to prevent reinfection and spreading the illness to the rest of your family members.
HOW TO SANITIZE YOUR TOOTHBRUSH
To sanitize your toothbrush, you can use mouthwash and swirl your toothbrush in it for about 30 seconds. After removing your toothbrush from the mouthwash, do not use the used mouthwash to clean your mouth. You can also dissolve bicarbonate soda in a cup of water and then soak your toothbrush. Hydrogen peroxide is also an effective sanitizer in which you will dilute a teaspoon of this solution in a cup of water and dip your toothbrush in it before brushing.
You can also use vinegar to soak your toothbrush overnight or dissolve the denture cleansing tablet according to the instructions and soak your toothbrush in the solution. Finally, while sanitizing your toothbrush kills most of the germs, you should still not share toothbrushes, as this may predispose you to oral disease. You should also replace your toothbrush regularly for effective brushing. For more details on toothbrush sanitization, contact our office today.
