There goes a saying that illness comes from mouth. When you care enough about your toothbrush clean, you have already successfully keep illness outdoor at a large distance.
Toothbrushes are supposed to be the cleanest, but actually,they’re not.Your toothbrush is probably stored in the bathroom, where bacteria can linger in the air.You scrub food off of your teeth with it and you brush the icky film off of your tongue with it, but then you do no more than rinse it and give it a perfunctory shake to clean it.Even so, do you still think your toothbrush is clean?
Here are a few tips on keeping your toothbrush is clean and safe.
Run hot water over it before and after each use
The most basic go-to method of sanitizing your toothbrush is to run good, hot water over the bristles before and after each use.Then keep it stored where it can be straight up so that the air can dry it adequately.
Soak it in antibacterial mouthwash
If a hot water rinse isn’t enough to give you peace of mind, you can soak your toothbrush in antibacterial mouthwash or rubbing alcohol for a few minutes before or after brushing. Not only will your toothbrush be squeaky clean, it’ll smell minty fresh too! Just remember to rinse it before your next use.
Run it through the dishwasher
Pretty much everyone has access to a dishwasher, and this means that you have another great way to clean your toothbrush! During the flu or cold season, this method is one of the most preferred, and it ends up saving you a lot of money by preventing you from having to go to the store and buy brand new ones every couple of weeks.
Purchase a UV toothbrush sanitizer
Ultraviolet light is a powerful tool for killing bacteria and it has been used for a very long time. The same thing goes for using it to fight the germs on your toothbrush. 99.9% of the germs that are hanging on to the bristles of your toothbrush can be safely eliminated with this method.
There are toothbrush holders that have been specially designed for killing germs while they are being stored. All you need to do is put your toothbrush in the holder, and press a button that tells the device to emit UV light onto the head of the toothbrush for a specific time.
The ultraviolet light will kill any of the germs that were on your toothbrush, which allows you to brush your teeth without worrying about what you are putting into your mouth.
Store your brush properly
Many of us don’t consider where our toothbrush lives when it isn’t in our mouths, but proper storage is just as important as thorough cleaning. Keep your brush upright in a cup or holder to allow water to drip away, and store that cup in the open as opposed to a cupboard. Air flow will help the brush to dry and avoid growing bacteria. When possible, avoid keeping your brush too close to the sink or toilet to keep it as far away from other contaminating bacteria as possible.
Never share a toothbrush
Your mouth needs a healthy flora of its own bacteria, but it’s not good to introduce bacteria from someone else.
“You should never share a toothbrush, especially with your children, since that’s when they are acquiring their normal flora,” says Dr. Kahn.
Also avoid storing multiple brushes, such as those of family members, in the same holder or in a drawer together. It’s best if they do not contact each other.
Your mouth is home to millions of bacteria so cleaning your toothbrush makes sense if you want to prevent illness. You should be cleaning your toothbrush every week.