Jen is a freelance writer, parent to three, and she’s been a stepparent for over 15 years. She is well-equipped to discuss and write about the great, and the not-so-great, details of all-things-parenting. Along with spending quality time with her family, Jen enjoys music, chocolate, camping and relaxing. And laughing! Learn more about Jen at FEEL THESE WORDS.
Ick! Are You Storing Your Toothbrushes Incorrectly?
In your home, you store your toothbrushes:
a) in a drawer. The vanity is cluttered enough without toothbrushes there, too.
b) in a cabinet. Lying next to each other, not on top of each other (most of the time).
c) in a cutesy cup. The kids chuck them in there each morning and night.
d) in our toothbrush holder, secured to the wall where it was when we moved in.
Ready for the correct answer?
“a”: In a Drawer
Wrong. Even though an uncluttered vanity seems oh-so-right, bacteria can easily grow in moist toothbrush heads.
- Allow toothbrushes to dry thoroughly by providing access to good air circulation.
- Store upright, not flat. Let gravity allow water to drain from the brush and assist drying.
“b”: In a cabinet
Wrong. Similar to “a”/drawers, cabinets do not allow air to circulate, and most lack room for vertical storage. Also, toothbrushes in cabinets are often piled on top of one another.
- Toothbrush heads should not touch.
- Bacteria on one brush can cross-contaminate another – think shared colds and sore throats.
“c”: In a cutesy cup
Wrong, if the toothbrush heads touch. What’s that you say? The cup has specified holes keeping the heads from touching? Nice! You could be storing your toothbrushes as correctly as possible – depending on the location of the container. See below.
“d”: In our toothbrush holder secured to the wall.
Right, maybe. (What?) A wall-mounted toothbrush holder does indeed allow air circulation, vertical storage, and keeps toothbrushes from touching – all correct. However, as with “c”/the cup, the location of the toothbrush holder is crucial.
- Keep toothbrushes as far from your toilet as possible. Health professionals agree that when a toilet is flushed, some form of “aerosol effect” takes place, or miniscule droplets of contaminated toilet water get into the air. Speculations over amounts of contamination, lengths and spans of the aerosol effect vary, but keeping toothbrushes at least six feet from a toilet is recommended.
- Also, don’t store toothbrushes next to bathroom sinks where hands are washed, and germs, dirt, and bacteria could get splashed onto your toothbrush.
In truth, it’s largely debated as to the best location to store toothbrushes, and advice from dental health professionals varies – some go as far as to recommend keeping toothbrushes in locations outside of the bathroom! In general, keep toothbrush heads separate, keep them vertical, let them dry properly and pay attention to where they are located.
*Information compiled from Carrie Isom, registered dental hygienist with Health Delivery Bridgeport Dental.
The safe way to store your toothbrush
