Keeping your teeth healthy and pearly white is important, especially when getting older.

But other than brushing and flossing regularly, is there anything else you can do? Actually, yes!

Recently, a dentist showed how fast dirt collects on toothbrushes and stressed the need to stop mould and bacteria growth.

Dentist Dr Ellie Phillips, renowned for her health insights, frequently shares her tips for achieving radiant smiles on social media, attracting over 201,000 enthusiasts.

In her video garnering over 880,000 views, Dr Phillips shared techniques for drying toothbrushes to prevent them from becoming a hotbed for germs.

‘Here’s what I want you to do with your toothbrush every day to help you have the best oral health possible,’ she said at the start.

Dr Ellie Phillips, a dentist, showed how quickly a toothbrush can get dirty and ways to prevent it from becoming mouldy. Image source: TikTok/@drelliephillips

She pointed out that while people are aware mould can develop on many surfaces, they frequently overlook toothbrushes.

‘Toothbrushes get really dirty, especially when they’re close to a toilet, in a damp climate where there is humidity, in your shower, in your bathroom, and humidity is the worst thing for growing moulds.’

She also mentioned that humidity fosters the growth of ‘harmful bacteria’ within the bristles and thoroughly cleaning the bristles was nearly impossible, even with boiling water.

Thus, she advised to ‘dry your toothbrush for 24 hours’.

‘Get your toothbrush, put it somewhere—in a cup or... I recommend on my website little ceramic doughnuts that hold your toothbrush so that it can air dry, [and] has plenty of air if your bathroom is always being used by other people, or it's always damp, certainly don't leave your toothbrush in your shower, take it somewhere [else],’ she added.

Dr Phillips suggested air-drying your toothbrush for a day. Video source: TikTok/@drelliephillips​

‘Put it in your bedroom, put it in your kitchen, in the window where it can dry in the sunshine, and use one toothbrush in the morning and a different toothbrush in the evening so that it has 24 hours before you're going to use it again.’

The comments overflowed with gratitude as viewers appreciated the dentist’s insights on toothbrush care.

‘I put it in a cup to air dry,’ one said.

‘This is invaluable advice, thanks for enlightening us,’ another wrote.

‘Fantastic! Appreciate these insights,’ a third user shared.

‘Gratitude for this,’ a fourth one expressed.

Key Takeaways

• Dentist Dr Ellie Phillips has shared how much bacteria can accumulate on a toothbrush, making it susceptible to mould.
• In her video on social media, Dr Phillips revealed that toothbrushes should be thoroughly dried to prevent them from becoming a breeding ground for bacteria.
• She recommended using two different toothbrushes: one in the morning and the other in the evening, allowing each to dry for 24 hours before using it again.
• Viewers praised Dr Phillips for her practical advice on toothbrush hygiene, with many appreciating the shared knowledge.

Members, how many toothbrushes do you have? Do you follow Dr Phillips’ advice and air dry them? Or do you have any other toothbrush care tips that could benefit the community?

Share your thoughts in the comments below!

 

[Joydie]

It's your friendly neighbourhood germ phobic here. Everything she suggests I do. An electric toothbrush in the morning, and a normal one at night. I thoroughly rinse and dry the toothbrushes and put them in a toothbrush holder thingy.

When I was at Teachers' College many years ago, my room was across the hall from two girls who shared. One of them would clean her teeth and walk back to her room with the brush in her mouth. It made me cringe for the two years I roomed opposite her, and I'm cringing now just thinking about it.

 

[anne2162]

Keeping your teeth healthy and pearly white is important, especially when getting older.

But other than brushing and flossing regularly, is there anything else you can do? Actually, yes!

Recently, a dentist showed how fast dirt collects on toothbrushes and stressed the need to stop mould and bacteria growth.

Dentist Dr Ellie Phillips, renowned for her health insights, frequently shares her tips for achieving radiant smiles on social media, attracting over 201,000 enthusiasts.

In her video garnering over 880,000 views, Dr Phillips shared techniques for drying toothbrushes to prevent them from becoming a hotbed for germs.

‘Here’s what I want you to do with your toothbrush every day to help you have the best oral health possible,’ she said at the start.

View attachment 33042

Dr Ellie Phillips, a dentist, showed how quickly a toothbrush can get dirty and ways to prevent it from becoming mouldy. Image source: TikTok/@drelliephillips

She pointed out that while people are aware mould can develop on many surfaces, they frequently overlook toothbrushes.

‘Toothbrushes get really dirty, especially when they’re close to a toilet, in a damp climate where there is humidity, in your shower, in your bathroom, and humidity is the worst thing for growing moulds.’

She also mentioned that humidity fosters the growth of ‘harmful bacteria’ within the bristles and thoroughly cleaning the bristles was nearly impossible, even with boiling water.

Thus, she advised to ‘dry your toothbrush for 24 hours’.

‘Get your toothbrush, put it somewhere—in a cup or... I recommend on my website little ceramic doughnuts that hold your toothbrush so that it can air dry, [and] has plenty of air if your bathroom is always being used by other people, or it's always damp, certainly don't leave your toothbrush in your shower, take it somewhere [else],’ she added.

Dr Phillips suggested air-drying your toothbrush for a day. Video source: TikTok/@drelliephillips​

‘Put it in your bedroom, put it in your kitchen, in the window where it can dry in the sunshine, and use one toothbrush in the morning and a different toothbrush in the evening so that it has 24 hours before you're going to use it again.’

The comments overflowed with gratitude as viewers appreciated the dentist’s insights on toothbrush care.

‘I put it in a cup to air dry,’ one said.

‘This is invaluable advice, thanks for enlightening us,’ another wrote.

‘Fantastic! Appreciate these insights,’ a third user shared.

‘Gratitude for this,’ a fourth one expressed.

Key Takeaways

• Dentist Dr Ellie Phillips has shared how much bacteria can accumulate on a toothbrush, making it susceptible to mould.
• In her video on social media, Dr Phillips revealed that toothbrushes should be thoroughly dried to prevent them from becoming a breeding ground for bacteria.
• She recommended using two different toothbrushes: one in the morning and the other in the evening, allowing each to dry for 24 hours before using it again.
• Viewers praised Dr Phillips for her practical advice on toothbrush hygiene, with many appreciating the shared knowledge.

Members, how many toothbrushes do you have? Do you follow Dr Phillips’ advice and air dry them? Or do you have any other toothbrush care tips that could benefit the community?

Share your thoughts in the comments below!

I use one toothbrush and after use I dry it before I place it on charge