Generally speaking, a toothbrush cover sounds like it would assist a toothbrush from getting dirty, but must really address what a cover actually does for your favorite toothbrush, before you go too far. A toothbrush cover is only a hindrance because it creates an extremely dark, damp area for optimal bacterial growth. That is not to say that it won’t still get dirty – all it can do is reduce the amount of time it takes to brush your teeth. Let’s take a look at exactly how a dental toothbrush cover works and whether or not you should consider it for your dental care needs.
As mentioned above, there are two types of dental toothbrush covers. The first type is called an under-mount dental toothbrush cover and attaches to your existing toothbrush in the same way that a regular cover attaches to your regular toothbrush. The other type is called an overmount dental toothbrush cover and attaches to your existing toothbrush in much the same way that a regular cover attaches to your old toothbrush. So how do they work? Well, the bacteria that cause bad breath reside in the bristles of your toothbrush and, as you use your brush to brush your teeth, the bacteria breaks down the proteins found in your teeth and mouth to get nutrients. With your new toothbrush covered with a dental toothbrush cover, the bristles of your brush are kept clean and bacteria are not able to grow.
Everyone needs to brush their teeth at least twice a day, so why not cover your toothbrush and every time you use it? We all indeed tend to forget about our brushing regularly, or skip it altogether when we have something else on our minds, but it only takes a few moments to remember that you need to brush your teeth and it makes all the difference. A great way to make sure you always remember to brush is by buying yourself a toothbrush cover. Each time you use your toothbrush you can simply slip the cover off your toothbrush and then brush your teeth all you want to do. You can also get covers that you just put on and forget about, so the next time you brush your teeth you will be able to see your toothbrush and brush all you want.
If you use a regular toothbrush, your bristles are exposed to hundreds of bacteria daily and some of these are bad bacteria. When you change your toothbrush every time it gets dirty, you will be able to take off the old one and freshen it up before you use it again. This will kill off any of the bacteria that may still be living inside the bristles. By changing your toothbrush cover each time you brush you will be removing some of the bad bacteria and giving your teeth and mouth a good chance to breathe freely once again.
If you take your toothbrush cover off when you brush, you are also removing some of the good bacteria that you would otherwise be exposed to. Anytime you expose toothbrush bristles to outside bacteria or germs, you are increasing the chances of an infection happening in your mouth. This can cause a whole host of problems for you including bad breath, swollen gums, and worst of all, tooth decay.
Even though it is great to have a clean toothbrush, you should never take it out of its case or cover it until you are completely through with your toothbrush brushing. Leaving your toothbrush out in the open air invites the bacteria to start growing again. The reason is that when bacteria starts growing it is like creating a chemical imbalance in your mouth. The acid level in your mouth is already uneven, so when you let that free fall off just makes the balance even worse. It is just like pouring gasoline down the gas tank of your car and then leaving it there, the wheels will soon lose their grip and crash into the road.