You’ve got a place for your sweaters, a special drawer for your utensils, and even an entire cabinet for spices, but how much thought have you given to where your toothbrush spends the hours it isn’t being used to brush your teeth? Most of us grew up leaving our toothbrush laying next to the sink, and while this may be great for easy access, there are a number of reasons you should consider rehoming your brush. Here we’ve outlined a few tips and tricks for proper storage of your toothbrush in between your routine brushes:
1. Make sure your brush is standing upright.
You know your dishes dry better in a drying rack, and your toothbrush is no different! Keep your toothbrush in a holder that keeps it upright, rather than laying it down. This will allow extra water to roll off of it instead of pooling at the bristles, keeping them damp and allowing bacteria to grow. Be sure to give the bottom of your toothbrush holder a good wipe down every few days as well, as bacteria filled water can roll down your toothbrush and accumulate at the bottom.
2. Avoid keeping your toothbrush in the medicine cabinet or a drawer.
While they may seem like the easiest places to store it, your medicine cabinet or top bathroom drawer are far from the ideal home for something that spends time in your mouth. With the door closed most of the day, these spaces are sealed off from air flow and aren’t a great place for your toothbrush to dry out in between uses. The dark, enclosed spaces are the perfect home for bacteria but not for your toothbrush! Keep your brush out in the open, where there’s good air circulation so it can dry out properly.
3. Don’t home it too close to your toilet or sink.
The most intuitive spot to set down your bristles is right next to the sink, but this can actually be one of the worst homes for your toothbrush! Bacteria, germs, and dirty water from hands being washed can splash up on your toothbrush if it’s stored too close to the sink, and water from a flushing toilet can spray up to 3 feet! We don’t need to go into too much detail to outline why a spot close to the toilet is less than ideal.
4. Make sure cleaning supplies are kept at a safe distance.
In most bathrooms, cleaning supplies live happily under the sink until they need to be used. While they’re out of sight, don’t allow them to be completely out of mind. Most household cleaners are full of harsh chemicals that are great for cleaning your tub, but can be harmful to your health if they ended up ingested. Keep cleaning supplies a safe distance from your toothbrush to avoid cross contamination.
In addition to storing your brush properly, remember to replace it every three months to ensure it’s clean and hasn’t worn down! A visit to the dentist can provide even more insights, tips, and tricks to keeping your oral health in tip top shape!
To schedule your next appointment, call Advanced Family Dental & Orthodontics today!