It may seem logical to keep your oral care products in the bathroom, but some experts say you might want to think twice about where your toothbrush is located.
Dr. Ellie Phillips, DDS, an oral health educator based in Austin, Texas, shared the rough reason why she would never recommend keeping your toothbrush near a toilet, especially in a small bathroom.
“The bacteria from the toilet ends up on your toothbrush,” she warned. “And your toothbrush picks up all the bacteria in your mouth at once.”
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“You could brush your teeth with a brand new toothbrush, cut the end off and send it to the lab, and they would give you the full profile of your mouth,” Phillips added.
“You share the bacteria of people with whom you live in a close community,” the expert warned. (iStock)
In a toothbrush with dense bristles, bacteria can “move down and multiply” and then “become anaerobic,” which Phillips says means it could become a more aggressive form.
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“Toilet bacteria, or the air from bathrooms, can interact with this and create a worse scenario,” she said. “So you share the bacteria of people with whom you live in a close community.”
Bacteria in bathroom air can interact with your toothbrush, according to the dental expert. (iStock)
This exposure to bacteria can aid in the development of dental diseases that “can take a long time to form,” Phillips warned.
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If keeping your toothbrush away from the toilet isn’t an option, Phillips recommends brushing your teeth in the sink.
The best way to clean a toothbrush is to let it dry completely, which kills bacteria, the expert advised.
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She also recommends using a toothbrush that is not too soft, with “plenty of bristles at different lengths” that can dry themselves and clean the mouth effectively.
The expert recommended using a medium-bristled toothbrush with “many bristles in varying lengths.” (iStock)
“You don’t need a $350 toothbrush, but many toothbrushes are ineffective. They are too soft. They get infected easily and you have to dry them,” she said.
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“Take care of yourself,” Phillips continued. “When your mouth is healthy with healthy bacteria and a healthy biofilm, it is almost a bulletproof inner skin over your teeth, gums and mouth that repels invading bacteria.”
