Your toothbrush can Transmit Coronavirus

oung-beautiful-woman-is-engaged-cleaning-teeth-Your toothbrush can Transmit Corona virus

Written by Dr. Apurva Chavan

Medically reviewed by  Dr. Vidhi Bhanushali Kabade BDS, TCC

Last updated May 4, 2024

Written by Dr. Apurva Chavan

Medically reviewed by  Dr. Vidhi Bhanushali Kabade BDS, TCC

Last updated May 4, 2024

coronavirus-cells-covid-19

Novel Corona Virus or COVID -19 has caught the world by surprise and left us all reeling under its wake. Doctors are still struggling to fully understand and contain this virus.

It has been found that the coronavirus spreads through droplets, aerosol, and even infected surfaces. But did you know that even your toothbrush could harbor and transmit the virus? Here are some tips to avoid the transmission –

Do not share your toothbrush

A toothbrush should never be shared. Your saliva can carry a lot of germs, antibodies, food particles, and sometimes even blood from bleeding gums. A lot of this gets trapped in the bristles of our brush and can easily be transferred to others by sharing. So get yourself a separate brush.

Change your brush

If you have tested positive with coronavirus, change your brush after 7 days. Even if you have suspected symptoms do not continue to use the same brush. Viruses can get trapped in the bristles and make you fall sick again. So change your brush every time you fall sick.

Toothbrushes should follow social distancing

Toothbrushes-glass-cup

We usually tend to keep our toothbrushes together with the other toothbrushes of our family members. But times have changed. Your brush should not be stored together with the rest of your family.

Keep everyone’s brushes separately to avoid virus transmission. Also, make sure they are away from your toilet. When you flush your toilet it releases an aerosol that can carry germs. So keep your brushes separate and away from the toilet.

Mask up your toothbrush to avoid coronavirus transmission

Your brushes need protection just like you. A lot of toothbrushes nowadays come with their designated caps or covers. After use, let your brush air-dry then cover it with the cap. This will ensure that it remains safe and clean. So just like you cover your mouth with a mask, cover your toothbrush.

Disinfectant your brush

Toothbrushes need to be disinfected regularly to keep them virus free. Use an alcohol-containing mouthwash like Listerine original to soak and disinfectant your brush.

If you want to save the hassle of disinfecting your toothbrush, you could try the new toothbrush sterilizer available on Amazon and many other e-commerce sites. Regular disinfection reduces your chances of getting infected or transmitting the virus and keeps your immunity strong.

Don’t share your toothpaste

close-up-hands-putting-toothpaste-on-brush-toothpaste-sharing

While dispensing toothpaste, the tube touches your brush. If you share the tube, it will touch multiple brushes, any of which might be carrying the virus. So even if your toothbrush is clean, the tube might infect it. That is why it is best to get separate toothpaste tubes or get an automated toothpaste dispenser.

A pandemic is a difficult time and keeping our body and mouth clean and healthy is the only way to protect ourselves. So brush twice a day with a clean toothbrush to maintain your health.

Highlights 

  • Sharing your toothbrush is not an option keeping aside the pandemic too. 
  • Your toothbrush could transmit coronavirus to the other members of your family.
  • Park your toothbrush separately from the other toothbrushes.
  • If you have any Covid-19 symptoms or you have recovered from Covid-19, remember to change your toothbrush.
  • Clean your toothbrush every time you use it.
  • Disinfect your toothbrush daily with an alcoholic mouthwash.
  • Remember it’s not just the toothbrush, but keeping your toothpaste separate also can help stop the spreading of the infection to the other members of your family.
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Stay Informed, Smile On!


Author Bio: Dr. Apurva Chavan is a dentist by the day and a voracious reader and writer by the night. She loves to fix smiles and tries to keep all her procedures as pain free as possible. Equipped with over 5 years of experience she loves to not just treat her patients but also educate them about dental hygiene and appropriate maintanence routines. After a long day of preserving smiles she loves to curl up with a good book or pen down some of life’s musings. She strongly belives that learning never stops and likes to keep her self updates with all the latest dental news and research.

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