The Five Practices for a Glittering Toothbrush
17
Apr 2009
Toothbrushes – they have been busy cleaning our teeth for a long time now, around 5000 years. The science of cleaning teeth has been handed down through generations – From the ancient “chew stick” to ivory, wood, or bone handled devices having hog or boar bristles. But do we know how to take care of our toothbrushes? Although, there are many dentists and scientists who have asked this question time and again, but are there any dentists or scientists who have given an answer that normal Americans can relate to. This is where Dr. Gerry Curatola comes in to save the day. An oral health and wellness expert, Dr. Curatola puts forth some simple practices that are so simple that most people perhaps have never given a thought to them.
The remaining portion of this blog put forth these practices in a simple manner.
DISTANCE FROM THE TOILET: SIX FEET?
Is your toothbrush stored within a distance of six feet from your toilet? If it is, then you should change its location simply because a toothbrush which is kept within a distance of six feet from the toilet is susceptible to fecal matter and microbes which are harmful.
WHERE DO YOU STORE YOUR TOOTHBRUSH: A PLASTIC CONTAINER?
Did you know that plastic containers act as ideal breeding grounds for bacteria and microbes? You would be inviting all those nasty microbes to infect your teeth if you keep your toothbrush inside a plastic container.
A fabric toothbrush shield should be an ideal choice for storing your toothbrush. This choice is also a good one according to the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta which has recommended the use of fabric toothbrush shield for storing toothbrushes.
ARE YOU USING THE MICROWAVE FOR DISINFECTING YOUR TOOTHBRUSH?
You are certainly committing nothing short of a debacle if you are using the microwave for cleaning your toothbrush. Remember, toothbrushes these days are normally made from microwave-susceptible materials: Plastic, nylon or silicone. The bristles themselves are mostly made of nylon irrespective of brands. Extensive damage is done when toothbrushes are subjected to microwaves. Nylon bristles certainly become ineffective.
Furthermore, a plastic toothbrush inside a microwave can also lead to the creation of bisphenol-A (BPA), which is a chemical plastic notorious for causing a variety of health-related problems with cancer being one of them.
Take your dirty toothbrush and clean it by rinsing it with soap in lukewarm water. After that, store it inside a fabric toothbrush shield.
Ideally, you should keep yourself in the habit of buying a toothbrush at least four times in a year.
WAKE UP! THE TOOTHPASTE IS NOT A DISINFECTANT FOR THE TOOTHBRUSH!
Pondering over which brand to select? Will it be the one that you usually select? Will it be the new brand that seems quite promising by a cursory look at the product packaging and the product itself? Do not be intimidated by this triad of questions. Instead just invest some time and look at the advertising content present on the product itself or on those huge banners. Do they say that contain the word: antibacterial? There’s your one definite answer. Toothpastes which claim to be antibacterial should not be bought. Toothpastes have no impact on the brush and those antibacterial ones are not the actual guardians against harmful bacteria.
THE FRIENDSHIP OF EMULSIFIERS AND TOOTHPASTES IS NOT GOOD!
A fact about toothbrushes using toothpastes that are chemical-intensive is that they end up being harmful rather than being protective. Sodium lauryl sulfate and triclosan copolymer are some of the chemicals that should be watched out for.
Sodium lauryl sulphate is an emulsifier leads to irritation to the mouth and has been known to cause canker sores. Triclosan copolymer is an antibacterial and antifungal agent and can lead to an increase in the strains of resistant bacteria.
