Have you ever gone to brush your teeth and your toothbrush either tastes funky or has a weird odor? maybe both? It may not happen often, maybe just once or twice a month. Maybe even less. Our mouths contain a lot of bacteria, germs, and other microscopic compounds that we may not even be able to see. These get brushed up and stuck in the bristles of your toothbrush.
Over time, even with a strong toothpaste your toothbrush can begin to gather these germs, bacteria, and particles which feast and turn your tooth brushing session into something not quite as beneficial as you’d think. We’ll get to what kind of toothpaste you should be using and the best tips for storing your toothbrush later in the article, so stay tuned.
You’d be surprised to know that your toothbrush can contain…
- Mutans streptococcus: A bacteria that causes tooth enamel erosion, tooth decay, and dental caries.
- E. Coli: A bacteria that causes diarrhea.
- Beta-hemolytic streptococcus: Another bacteria that causes strep throat
- Coliform: A bacteria that are found in aquatic environments, soil and vegetation.
- Feces: Yep, you read that right. If you poop with the toilet lid open that can create airborne fecal matter. With your toothbrush out in the open, it’s exposed. Close the toilet lid! Even then, it’s still possible so follow the instructions in this article closely.
- Staphylococci (“Staph”): A bacteria that causes skin infections.
- Porphy-romonas gingivalis: A bacteria that causes gum disease.
- Candida albicans: A Fungal infection that can cause rashes, dry skin, dandruff, ringworm, athletes foot etc.
- Herpes simplex: A virus that causes cold sores.
- Hepatitis A, B, and C: The virus for these diseases has been found on toothbrushes, and the hepatitis B virus can survive on the toothbrush for months. So, with all that bacteria, fungus, germs potential viral infections and fecal matter in your toothbrush you’d think cleaning and disinfecting it would be a great idea correct?
That’s why at least once a week, it’s smart on your part to clean and disinfect your toothbrush with a safe and easy solution that is food grade, and not toxic, chemical based. It’s important that this solution not only be safe and effective but not leave any toxic residue that you’d later brush on your teeth. Many disinfectants just won’t cut it for that reason.
Hydrogen peroxide on the other hand is the perfect solution. Hydrogen peroxide 35% food grade is what you want. You can find some on amazon here if you don’t have it in your local health food store. This stuff is strong and if it touches your skin it will burn it a bit so be careful. It will turn your skin white for about 3 days, this happend to me because i’ve got some on my skin before on accident.
Hydrogen peroxide is the perfect solution to rinse, disinfect and kill the bacteria, germs and other harmful contaminants that can be on your toothbrush.
Toothbrush Disinfectant Step-By-Step Instructions:
Step 1: Fill a glass of water half full with purified water.
Step 2: Take the food grade 35% of hydrogen peroxide and squeeze a whole dropper into the glass of water.
Step 3: Optional, add 2-3 drops of therapeutic grade clove oil to the mix to improve gum and teeth health.
Step 4: Swirl the toothbrush around in the water to mix in to the hydrogen peroxide and essential oil solution.
Step 5: Let the toothbrush dry thoroughly.
Drying the toothbrush out after cleaning it as well as after using it is essential. A wet toothbrush will grow bacteria, germs and other harmful contaminants much faster than a dry one. So keep this in mind. Having your toothbrush out in the open instead of covered up will help reduce the risk.
At the same time, being exposed to open air in the bathroom is not the best solution because of airborne bacteria and other harmful things that will land and grow on your tooth brush. This is why we recommend using this toothbrush cleaning solution once a week. It takes 5 minutes to do and you’ll notice your tooth brush will smell fresher and better as well.
It is advised to replace your toothbrush every 3 months according to the American Dental Association. I recommend getting a bamboo toothbrush here in order to lessen the environmental plastic burden. There are many toothbrushes floating in the ocean and when I lived in Costa Rica one day the plastic had washed up on the beach and a beach that usually had nothing probably had 100 toothbrushes spread out on it. Bamboo is something that composts easily and makes you feel a bit classier while brushing!
If you use this solution once a week your toothbrush will be less likely to harbor any harmful bacteria or germs that will harm the health of your teeth or gums. Simple sanitation with hydrogen peroxide and clove oil can improve your chances of not getting gum disease or cavities. Keep your mouth healthy, if not for you… for the person that you kiss!
Please share this information with friends and family.
Sources: bostonsmile.com,
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