“Using a toothbrush cover doesn’t protect a toothbrush from bacterial growth, but actually creates an environment where bacteria are better suited to grow by keeping the bristles moist and not allowing the head of the toothbrush to dry out between uses,”
My personal experience of using Tooth brush for 20 years is that it is nothing but marketing gimmick. More damage then help for oral hygiene.
It is costly. We re-use it without proper cleaning of bristles, as it is difficult to clean after use. After use it is advisable to rinse the toothbrush with water, shake it off and let the toothbrush dry. Who has time to dry it? Our bathrooms are now in bedroom. They hardly have sunlight :D. Drying is skipped in most households (As per observations so far). Even if you take care, it is still a breeding ground for bacteria. Moreover, Bent and worn out bristles of a toothbrush lead to decreased cleaning efficiency.
What’s the best way to brush teeth? Even dentists and dental associations don’t agree [1] 😀 😀
Totally unhealthy practice accepted because of sheer magnitude of marketing!
On the other hand, wooden twigs are never re-used. So all the issues of cleaning and maintenance are gone!
You chew and create your own bristles so there is no bent and worn out led decreased cleaning efficiency!
Chewing gives exercise which is significant missing part in modern toothbrushes.
It is natural tool. Easily bio-degradable. Sustainable! And it does not generate profit for FMCG companies but local community!
Think about it! Take any aspect, economics, health, environment – wooden twigs is the wise option! (Y) 🙂
[1] http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-08-teeth-dentists-dental-associations-dont.html
TOOTHBRUSH CONTAMINATION IN COMMUNAL BATHROOMS
Data confirms that there is transmission of fecal coliforms in communal bathrooms at Quinnipiac University and that toothbrushes can serve as a vector for transmission of potentially pathogenic organisms. This research is presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Microbiology.
“The main concern is not with the presence of your own fecal matter on your toothbrush, but rather when a toothbrush is contaminated with fecal matter from someone else, which contains bacteria, viruses or parasites that are not part of your normal flora,” said Lauren Aber, MHS (Graduate Student, Quinnipiac University). Potential microorganisms that can be introduced are enteric bacteria and pseudomonads. Enteric bacteria are a family of bacteria, Enterobacteriaceae, they are known to be normal flora found in the gut. They are also known to ferment glucose, fail to contain cytochrome in an oxidase test and many can reduce nitrates to nitrites. Pseudomonas group of bacteria are gram-negative aerobic rods commonly found in soil, water, plants and animals. They are part of the normal flora of the gut and also on the skin of humans.
All toothbrushes were collected from participants using communal bathrooms, with an average of 9.4 occupants per bathroom. Regardless of the storage method, at least 60% of the toothbrushes were contamination with fecal coliforms. There were no differences seen with the effectiveness of the decontamination methods between cold water, hot water or rinsing with mouthwash and 100% of toothbrushes regularly rinsed with mouthwash had growth on MacConkey agar indicating fecal contamination (n=2).
Fecal coliforms were seen on 54.85% of toothbrushes, which has been seen in previous studies. There is an 80% chance that the fecal coliforms seen on the toothbrushes came from another person using the same bathroom.
https://www.asm.org/index.php/asm-newsroom2/92-news-room/press-releases/93536-toothbrush-contamination-in-communal-bathrooms
Very true. Don’t care about ads, they always want to fool you. People who say to brush 2 times a day are wrong, too. Even in mos of the carton show it shows that if you don’t brush twice your teeth will break. Brushing doesn’t helps in not breaking, but if you use datun your teeth will not break even in old age 🙂