Bathrooms are Breeding Grounds for Bacteria
The bristles and toothbrush head can act as ideal refugees for all the fungi and viruses that have accumulated on your teeth throughout the day.
Studies have shown that there are around 10 million different types of bacteria which can grow on your toothbrush. The warm, moist climate of the bathroom provides the ultimate conditions for the reproductive bacteria, which actually double in size every 20 minutes. It has been found that there are a number of different ways bacteria can latch themselves onto the bristles of toothbrushes. Most shockingly, the action of flushing your toilet sprays bacteria everywhere in the bathroom, and evidently showers it all over your brush. Excess toothpaste left on the toothbrush is also an invitation for the bacteria to join in.
Prevention is always better than cure. Scientists claim that unhygienic toothbrushes can lead to a range of serious health problems, including heart disease, stroke, arthritis and chronic infections. Sharing toothbrushes can also lead to further trouble, try to avoid this as much as possible.
Alternatively, if you live a fast-paced lifestyle with very little time to spare and need a quick solution, Oral-B has recently released a new range of toothbrushes. The Expert Anti-Bacterial Brushes include built-in Silver additives that release silver ions to help the bristle surface inhibit bacterial growth for up to 3 months the recommended time for a toothbrush to be changed. Oral-B toothbrushes come with blue indicator bristles that fade halfway so you know when to replace your brush.
Your teeth should be your pride and joy as they are often the first thing people see when meeting you. Treat them like a blank canvas; a painter would never paint with a dirty brush, so keep your toothbrushes in top condition and fight bacteria with a smile.
