Electric toothbrushes do a fantastic job of keeping your teeth clean, but they are only effective if they are clean, too. Since electric toothbrushes go in your mouth, they pick up bacteria and other germs. Remember that you keep your toothbrush in the bathroom where germs thrive. Keeping your electric toothbrush clean is a necessity.
If you’ve wondered how to clean your electric toothbrush, read on. But, remember, any time that you clean your electric toothbrush, you should disconnect it from the electric source to avoid a shock.
Rinse Before and After Each Use
Before you put your electric toothbrush in your mouth, you can quickly sanitize it with hot water. Put the bristles under a steady stream of hot water to kill bacteria, then apply your toothpaste. After you’ve brushed your teeth, do the same thing to prevent bacteria from building up between uses.
Use Antibacterial Mouthwash or Denture Cleaners
Another useful way to clean your toothbrush is with an antibacterial mouthwash. Put enough mouthwash in a sturdy cup and let the bristles soak for a few minutes after brushing your teeth. The antibacterial mouthwash will kill bacteria, but it will also reduce the lifespan of your bristles.
You can do the same thing with denture cleansers, as they have antimicrobial properties that kill bacteria and plaque. If you use a denture cleanser for your dentures, do not reuse the cleanser for your toothbrush. Put half of a tablet in a sturdy cup of water, then dip your toothbrush head into it for a few minutes.
Kill Bacteria with UV Light
UV light kills bacteria, and electric toothbrushes often fit inside UV light boxes. The Toothbrush Sanitizer/UV-C Sterilizer for Home and Travel has a USB Li-Ion rechargeable battery and fits all electric toothbrush heads. Simply put your toothbrush bristles into the UV sanitizer and let the bright light do its job.
Maintaining a Clean Toothbrush
Once you’ve cleaned your toothbrush with a denture cleaner or an antibacterial mouthwash, you’ll want to keep your toothbrush clean.
Store It Properly
Where and how you store your toothbrush affects its cleanliness. Some people keep their electric toothbrush heads in small cups of hydrogen peroxide. The key to success with this method is changing the hydrogen peroxide daily, so the fresh liquid cleans your toothbrush bristles.
Rather than storing all of your family’s toothbrushes in one cup, give each toothbrush its own holder. Storing toothbrushes this way prevents cross-contamination. Keep the toothbrush holders a few inches away from each other, too.
Your toothbrush holder should be as far away from the toilet as possible. When people flush the toilet, microscopic fecal matter and urine get into the air and settle on surfaces in the bathroom.
If your toothbrush is close enough to the toilet, some disgusting things will land on it. Then, you brush your teeth and get sick. To prevent toilet bacteria away from your toothbrush, keep your toothbrush in a cabinet or put a cover on it.
Buy a Toothbrush Cover
You might have a toothbrush cover for protection while traveling. But have you considered using a toothbrush cover to keep your toothbrush clean while at home? A toothbrush cover like the Haven Cover fits electric and manual brushes. The covers snap on and prevent bacteria from landing on your toothbrush.
If you use a toothbrush cover, you have to clean it to keep your toothbrush free of bacteria and germs. You should clean the covers every other week. To prevent mold and mildew, let your toothbrush dry before you cover it.
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Rethink How You Apply Your Toothpaste
When you apply toothpaste from the tube, you could get bacteria on the tube. Then, as your family members use the tube, they get more bacteria on it and their toothbrushes. Eventually, everyone in your household could get sick from the contaminating toothpaste tube.
To avoid infecting your toothpaste tube and everyone in your family, reconsider how you apply toothpaste to your electric toothbrush. With a toothpaste dispenser, your toothbrush bristles never have to touch the spout.
The Wekity Toothbrush Dispenser squeezes your toothpaste from the tube directly onto your brush. It also has slots to hold toothbrushes as well as cups for rinsing or holding toothbrushes.
Conclusion
Taking care of your toothbrush isn’t tricky, but it is necessary. No one wants to have bacteria and germs on their toothbrushes. Clean your toothbrush daily with hot water and wash it regularly with mouthwash or UV toothbrush cleaning devices.