Toothbrush Use-Is it Making you Sick?

A toothbrush is the most commonly used means of maintaining good oral hygiene. However, instead of cleaning the teeth and mouth, badly tended brushes may contaminate the oral space further following retention and survival of germs on toothbrushes on regular use and poor storage.

The longer the toothbrush is used, the more the number of germs increases, and a re-contamination of the oral cavity with germs. Given the fact that very often people will traumatize themselves with their toothbrush, this trauma may become a potential portal of entry for organisms. Contaminated toothbrushes have been associated with repeated infections of mouth that come with inflammation and bleeding of gums and dental caries. There are also links between lingering oral thrush (yeast infection), cold, sore throats and the flu and contaminated toothbrushes.

Read More »