This may seem like an odd topic, but bear with me. It occurred to me recently that we spend an awful lot of time worrying about the negative impact of big things we have little control over (will the LHC destroy civilization?!?) while ignoring the small things we can control. Sure, I understand the wisdom of the “don’t sweat the small stuff” message, but when it comes to our health, it’s often the “small stuff” that sneaks up and bites us in the . . .
So it happens that, while performing the perfunctory duty of daily dental care, I turned my attention to my toothbrush. It’s a great toothbrush. I love it. (You can get one just like it here.) But could this trusty tool of hygiene be harboring agents of destruction? I mean, what happens to all that junk it clears out of my oral cavity every morning? Could my seemingly friendly toothbrush be sneakily stashing bacteria for a later attack, a deviant dental deployment that would undermine all my good intentions?
Alliteration aside, it’s an issue worth writing about, so much so that a simple Google search for toothbrush bacteria turns up a whopping 461,000 results. A biochemist by the name of James Song has even written a book about it, suggesting that bacteria-laced toothbrushes could be a contributing factor to a wide range of health concerns most of which would never be considered as related to dental hygiene.
The website dentalresources.org lists five common microorganisms remaining on toothbrushes, all of which are alarming:
1. Mutans
streptococcus - the main bacterium causing dental caries
2. Beta-hemolytic streptococcus -
the main bacterium causing strep throat (pharyngotonsillitis)
3. Candida albicans - the main
fungus causing thrush in babies
4. Coliform bacteria - these are
found in the bathroom
5. Herpes simplex virus - they
causes cold sores
So what can we do? First, the American Dental Association recommends changing toothbrushes every three months and immediately after an illness. Never share toothbrushes, of course, and store them away from other toothbrushes to prevent cross-contamination. Also, and this is something I personally had never considered, keep your toothbrush at least six feet away from your toilet (flushing can send bacteria spiraling into the air). And finally, the most practical advice I found is to disinfect your toothbrush by cleaning them in your dishwasher along with your eating utensil.
As I said, it’s an unusual topic and it might be “small stuff,” but I’d rather err on the side of caution to prevent the “big stuff” from robbing me of healthy years ahead.
