Top Tips to a Clean Toothbrush – how to sanitize your toothbrush

One of the key factors in oral health is controlling the bacterial population of the mouth. Make sure your toothbrush is cleaned regularly as part of your regimen.

When you brush, bacteria transfer to your toothbrush where they can live in the moist environment between the bristles and in crevices.  When you brush again later bacteria can be reintroduced to your mouth.

Reducing the bacteria after each use and periodically eliminating them from your teeth cleaning implements will keep them from undermining your oral health.

After Each Use

• Rinse your toothbrush thoroughly.
• Shake off the excess moisture and place the brush where it can thoroughly air dry without coming into contact other brushes or surfaces.
• Most bacteria have a hard time surviving and multiplying without moisture, so dry, dry, dry is the key.
• Don’t put a cover over the brush head or put the brush in a closed container, this will keep the bristles moist and promote bacterial growth.

Weekly

• Once a week, soak your toothbrush (or electric toothbrush head) in a 3% solution of hydrogen peroxide.
• Pour enough fresh hydrogen peroxide into a container (a plastic pill bottle or a shot glass are easy choices) to cover the brush head and then place your brush in the peroxide.
• Soak the brush for at least five minutes.
• Thoroughly rinse the toothbrush in water, shake off the excess and place the brush where it can thoroughly air dry without coming into contact with other brushes and devices.
• Discard the hydrogen peroxide down the drain, where it will safely break down into water and oxygen.
• Use fresh hydrogen peroxide weekly as it breaks down quickly when exposed to light and it won’t last long.
• Don’t forget to disinfect all of your oral cleaning tools. Interdental devices, tongue scrapers, and oral irrigating wands need cleaning and disinfecting too!

Researchers believe that the duration of a cold can be lengthened by the twice-daily reintroduction of cold germs by using an infected toothbrush.

Sharing a toothbrush is a commonly recognized method of transferring strains of bacteria and viruses from one person to another.

If you are sick, soak your toothbrush in 3% hydrogen peroxide after each use. Soak your interdental cleaning device if you use one. Rinse thoroughly in water, shake off the excess moisture and let dry.

These Top Tips to a Clean Toothbrush will control the bacteria on your teeth-cleaning implements, another step on your road to complete oral health.