I will confess to being a bit strange about some things in life and my toothbrush is definitely one of them. I can count on one hand how many times I have shared a toothbrush with my spouse. I rough-traveled 5 months through Africa - camping, sleeping outside,or in abandoned huts - and my toothbrush head never touched a single surface. I am utterly icked out about the head touching anything and will juggle if I needed to ensure that my brush stays very clean.
Here's the thing: you rub a paste of plaque, saliva, and food remnants around your mouth and then do it again with the same implement day after day with barely a flush of water in between. Did I make you say 'YUK'?
There are 3 easy ways to detox your toothbrush:
- Keep your toothbrush a good distance from the toilet (about 5 feet). A flush has microscopic mist which travels nearby to any objects lying in wait for the bacteria. Please don't make me describe it further - there are tons of articles which can substantiate it.
- Keep your toothbrush head from being in contact with other surfaces - especially damp ones where bacteria multiply very quickly. Allow it to dry 'head-up'.
- Disinfect it every few days. This is very easy to do ... a high-alcohol mouthwash will do it in about 1 minute. Just make sure all the bristles are submerged, shake it off, and let it dry. Boiling water also works - though I'd avoid the microwave because these plastics are not often safe for microwave-use.
