You likely think you’ve got at-home oral care covered. It’s just a matter of brushing and flossing your teeth, right? Those two habits aren’t hard to practice or remember. However, did you know dirty items can harm your oral health? Even your toothbrush holder in Rochester can cause dental issues if you’re not careful. It’s thus important that such tools get cleaned regularly. To learn more, here are three household objects you ought to clean so your smile stays safe.
Your Toothbrush Holder
As said before, a toothbrush holder can threaten your teeth and gums. It turns out the item is among the dirtiest things in your home.
The problem with these holders is that they’re hollow. Consequently, they build up toothpaste gunk, saliva, and even blood as debris drips from your toothbrush. Once this material pools at the bottom, harmful substances form. The result is that grabbing your toothbrush from its holder can expose you to bad bacteria.
These facts are backed by recent scientific research. A 2011 public health organization report found that 27% of toothbrush holders tested positive for coliform bacteria (i.e., Salmonella, E. coli, etc.). Dentists thus recommend that you replace your holder every 6-12 months.
Your Bathroom Sink
You can also hurt your smile by getting germs from your bathroom sink. Though it should clean your hands and face, the appliance carries more bacteria than any other restroom area. That even includes the toilet seat!
Again, science supports this claim. Marco Mendoza Villa, a Ph.D. researcher from Bristol University, found in 2018 that almost 80% of the sink’s surface was covered in pathogens. Therefore, placing your hands right from it to your mouth isn’t a great idea.
Your Bathroom Hand Towels
As it turns out, many of us don’t wash our hands thoroughly. That means wiping our germ-ridden mitts on bathroom hand towels sends bacteria to the latter. From there, the microbes will grow due to being in a damp environment. Ironically, then, we (poorly) clean our hands only to dirty them in the drying process.
If you don’t want your towels to cause this problem, try to wash them at least once a week.
Home items can reduce oral health, whether it’s your toothbrush holder in Rochester or something else. That said, clean the ones above to keep your teeth healthy in the long term.
About the Practice
Zumbro Family Dental is based in Rochester, MI. As led by Dr. Nicholas Brong, the practice strives to make every patient feel right at home. To that end, its staff offers customized preventive, cosmetic, and restorative dentistry. When necessary, the team can perform orthodontic work, dental sedation, and emergency treatments too. For more information or to schedule an appointment, you can reach them at their website or by phone at (507)-288-1066.
