Many people change their toothbrushes regularly and assume that their brush is perfectly clean. However, scientists have discovered that toothbrushes are often contaminated with fecal bacteria—and frequently, these bacteria do not belong to the brush’s owner.
© Jena Ardell, Getty Images📷
Most people know that using someone else’s toothbrush is a bad idea. In fact, it’s best not to let anyone else touch your toothbrush at all. But does that guarantee it will be clean? Not necessarily.
Researchers at Quinnipiac University (USA) examined the toothbrushes of students who shared bathrooms—with an average of 9.4 people using each bathroom.
They found fecal bacteria on more than half of the toothbrushes. In 80% of those cases, the bacteria did not belong to the person who used the brush.
How do these bacteria end up on a toothbrush if only the owner uses it? The culprit is likely the toilet. When a toilet is flushed, it releases a cloud of aerosolized droplets. Experiments have shown that these particles can travel up to 1.5 meters (nearly 5 feet) above the toilet bowl. The droplets then settle throughout the bathroom—including on toothbrushes—carrying with them bacteria from everyone who has used the toilet.
Furthermore, many families store all their toothbrushes together. When the brushes come into contact with one another, bacteria can easily spread from one to another.
A warm, humid environment is ideal for bacterial growth, and a bathroom is exactly that kind of setting. Moreover, toothbrushes remain damp for some time after use, which further encourages the proliferation of bacteria.
What can you do? The best approach is to store toothbrushes separately from one another and as far away from the toilet as possible. However, you shouldn’t store a damp brush in a container. It’s better to let it air-dry. It is recommended to replace your brushes every three to four months.
About the Author
