Can Your Toothbrush Be Making You Sick? – 719woman.com
It seems like everyone I know has been sick recently with upper respiratory infections, the common cold, or stomach bugs. They’ll start to feel better but then a week later, here come the symptoms again. Especially for those with larger households where those germs just pass from one person to the other.
I had always heard that after an illness you should toss your toothbrush because it could make you sick again but after I suggested that to a friend of mine, I wondered, is that really true? While doing a bit of research I found a few items that could harbor germs and bacteria that I never even thought about. A bar of soap? Really?
Here’s a quick-read article with a few items you should clean on a regular basis in order to reduce the chances of getting re-exposed to germs after an illness.
And no, you don’t have to toss the toothbrush but a thorough cleaning is needed. (It’s recommended you clean or toss your toothbrush every 3 months or so even if you’re not sick.)
EASY WAYS TO DISINFECT A TOOTHBRUSH –
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Soak toothbrush in antibacterial mouthwash. Rinse with water.
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Boil for 3 minutes. (This can be hard on brushes though so I’d use this method as a last resort.)
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Soak in a small cup of hydrogen peroxide.
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Run through the dishwasher on the hot cycle with no soap. (Place in the silverware compartment.)
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Purchase a UV toothbrush sanitizer. These can be really expensive though and studies show that soaking your toothbrush in Listerine works almost as well as the sanitizer, and it’s certainly a lot cheaper.
Here are a few more personal care items to think about as you’re recovering from the crud.
http://www.today.com/health/nasty-cold-or-flu-finally-over-do-i-need-toss-t75406