Students of GDC Siddipet survey the spread of bacteria through toothbrushes as part of the JIGNASA programme
SIDDIPET, JANUARY 18, 2-025: As gross as it sounds, the human mouth contains about 100 million microbes per millilitre of saliva. Those microbes eat the same food you do, and when you brush, food particles and bacteria stick to your toothbrush. The unhappy result is an overgrowth of germs on your brush. Therefore, taking precautions to ensure that you don’t get sick from the ‘bad’ bacteria is a recommended course of action.
Accordingly, the students of Biotechnology and Microbiology of Government Degree College (autonomous), Siddipet, have surveyed the spread of bacteria through toothbrushes as part of the JIGNASA programme. Under the guidance of G Madan Mohan, the students launched the survey on “toothbrush hygiene and sanitation” by collecting samples of 100 toothbrushes. They also interacted with over 500 people and found that they did not know about the spread of bacteria through toothbrushes.
Get a new one: Replace your toothbrush every three to four months, or more often if bristles become frayed, if you are sick, or if you have a weakened immune system. For an electric toothbrush, replace the head as frequently as you would a regular disposable brush.
Clean your bristles: Occasionally soak toothbrushes in hydrogen peroxide or mouthwashes with antibacterial agents, especially if you’ve dropped it on the floor. Clean your toothbrush bristles by rinsing your toothbrush in tap water or even washing with antibacterial soap.
Don’t use plastic containers Do you store your toothbrush in an airtight container? Don’t. The toothbrush can’t dry out between brushing, which encourages mold growth. Also, if you store all the family toothbrushes together in one container, the bacteria can spread from one to the other if the heads are touching.
Keep them moisture-free After you have used your toothbrush and rinsed it, store it in an upright position to keep the moisture away.
Use toothbrush sanitisers
There are products available that claim to sanitise your toothbrush. Some use ultraviolet light, sprays or rinses. There are even brushes with built-in antibacterial bristles. While some of these products do kill some germs, there is no evidence using them will reduce your risk of illness.
, the human mouth contains about 100 million microbes per millilitre of saliva. Those microbes eat the same food you do, and when you brush, food particles and bacteria stick to your toothbrush. The unhappy result is an overgrowth of germs on your brush. Therefore, taking precautions to ensure that you don’t get sick from the ‘bad’ bacteria is a recommended course of action. Here’s what you can do:
Don’t brush where you flush
Where you store your toothbrush in your bathroom is important. In most bathrooms, the toilet is very close to the sink, where most people keep their toothbrushes. Every time you flush, bacteria are released into the air and you don’t want that bacteria to get on your toothbrush.
It’s just common sense to store your toothbrush as far away from the toilet as possible. Keep it in a medicine cabinet if possible, and always close the toilet lid before flushing to minimise the spread of bacteria onto your toothbrush
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