You Put Your Toothbrush Where?

Have you ever given any thought to where you place your toothbrush? If you answered ‘no’, then rest assured, you’re not alone. Most of us don’t give it a second thought, placing our toothbrushes in the most convenient place for daily oral hygiene practices: atop our bathroom sink. You might not know this, but there are literally millions of microorganisms wafting around in the air in your bathroom, especially if your toilet, bath/shower, and sink are in one room. Let’s face it, most homes are set up this way. Let’s run through a few of the worst, and best places to store your toothbrush.

Worst Place 1: Near The Toilet

According to the Colgate blog, keeping your toothbrush near your toilet is one of the worst places to store your toothbrush. The pressure used by your toilet to effectively flush down any manner of bodily waste causes an ‘aerosol’ effect. This sends microscopic waste particles flying into the air. It doesn’t take a degree in microbiology to figure out where those particles land, but let’s elaborate. For starters, they land all over your walls, counters, and sink area. Needless to say, if your toothbrush is anywhere near or on one of those surfaces, it’s getting misted with bacteria in the process.

Worst Place 2: The Sink Countertop

If your toilet is in its own little room and you have a separate area for your bath/shower and an additional sink, that doesn’t necessarily mean you should keep your toothbrush there. When you wash your hands, you’re bound to splash water upon the countertop and this spray could also wash over your toothbrush. Essentially, you’re washing germs off your hands and back onto your toothbrush. In fact, you would have been better off with the germs on your hands than on your toothbrush because you place your toothbrush directly in the super-highway to your internal system: your mouth.

Worst Place 3: In The Reach Of Children

Young children are incredibly curious little beings. Toddlers in particular are at the developmental age where they want to put all of their ideas to the test. If they happen to need a scrub for one of their dolls or action figures, and they happen to wander by your toothbrush, you had better believe that your toothbrush is going to become a toy scrubber. There’s also the risk of them dropping it on the floor, or worse, in the toilet and placing it right back in the holder with you none the wiser.

Best Place 1: In A Medicine Cabinet

If you have a medicine cabinet hanging above your bathroom sink, this is the best place to store your toothbrush. It is completely closed off from bacteria that might be lingering in the air, safe from splashback when you wash your hands, and out of the reach of curious little children.

One thing you will want to be certain of is that your toothbrush is completely dry before you place it in the cabinet. Not only that, but also go the extra mile to make sure it’s free from debris, blood, and saliva. Safely tucked away in a dark cabinet, these particles can transform themselves into mini biohazards in no time. Try to wash your toothbrush under clear running water for 30 seconds. The warmer the water, the better.

Best Place 2: In A Cupboard or Closet

If you don’t have a medicine cabinet in your bathroom, consider placing your toothbrush in a cupboard or closet near your bathroom. Whatever you do, don’t put it under the bathroom sink. Mold and mildew thrive in the little crevices under your bathroom sink because there are usually hairline leaks that go unnoticed, causing a build-up in moisture under there. Not a good place to keep your toothbrush in the slightest bit.

Best Place 3: In Your Bedroom

You might be better off keeping your toothbrush in your bedroom. Again, if you have young children, then your nightstand is not going to be the best place to keep it. If you have a shelf that is high enough to keep your brush out of reach, that will be your best bet. If you can place it in direct sunlight, the UV rays will help to dry your toothbrush out and zap those nasty germs away. Just make sure that you don’t keep it near a window where it could be blown down onto the floor or contaminated by passing birds or bugs.

Overall, being conscious about where you store your toothbrush can help keep you on track in terms of your oral hygiene as well as your overall health. The last thing you want is to pick up a staph infection from your own toothbrush!