You won't believe what this woman found after swabbing her body for bacteria!
- Replies 5
In an age where we speak of 'germophobia' and issues surrounding hygiene on a daily basis, it's hard to argue that being vigilant with our cleanliness habits isn't a great idea.
We must keep germs and bacteria at bay to stay healthy and maintain our immunity. With how contagious many illnesses can be, or how small germs are, it's no surprise that we must constantly be mindful of our hygiene.
However, how much should you actually be worried about coming into contact with bacteria? Is it something we should be constantly guarding against, or are bacteria something we simply have to coexist with?
One woman took on the home experiment of swabbing different areas of her body for bacteria, and the results were surprising.
Chloe Fitzpatrick used Petri dishes to test her breath, fingers, toes, ribs, and legs for bacteria. She then left the experiments to grow in a warm place for several days before sharing her findings on social media.
The Petri dish touched by her breath contained the most colonies of bacteria. Her fingers followed in second with considerably more bacteria than her toes, ribs, and the back of her legs, which showed relatively little growth.
Scientists have confirmed that a person’s mouth can contain a significant number of bacteria, fungi, and viruses, which supports the results of Ms Fitzpatrick’s experiment.
It turns out, the mouth can contain up to 20 billion bacteria—making it the second most infested area after the gut.
Some users expressed their concern with one saying: ‘I’m going to take ten showers!’
Another user suggested: ‘Can you do belly button? That would be so interesting!’
And some users reminded others that: ‘Not all bacteria is bad!’
You can see the results of the breath Petri dish in the video below:
And while it may seem disgusting, emerging scientific literature has indicated that these bacteria, fungi, and viruses play an integral role in the functioning of humans—aiding digestion, protecting us from attacking viruses, and 'teaching' our immune systems to recognise safe versus dangerous microorganisms.
However, lack of proper oral hygiene can lead to ailments like bad breath and dental issues.
Failure to brush regularly aids the multiplication of bacteria in the mouth which then leads to build-up that is the main cause of bad breath.
Dr Priya Deo, an Oral Microbiologist at Dental College and Hospital in Pune, India, also said: 'The mouth with its various niches is an exceptionally complex habitat where microbes colonize the hard surfaces of the teeth and the soft tissues of the oral mucosa.'
'In addition to being the initiation point of digestion, the oral microbiome is crucial in maintaining oral as well as [whole body] health.'
Ms Fitzpatrick’s little experiment is a reminder that microbes are part of our daily life. But how do we get rid of them when we want to? Well, in terms of handwashing, at least.
Another scientist named Dallin Lewis shared his discovery that shaking hands to dry after washing seems to be the most sanitary option.
He sampled hand dryers at public restrooms, gas stations, movie theatres, and shops across Provo in the US. After leaving the Petri dishes for three days, he found nearly all of them crawling with bacteria and fungi in white, yellow, and black smudges.
The public bathroom was reportedly the most contaminated, according to the researcher.
But get this: He also waved a Petri dish through the air to mimic a person drying his hands by shaking them, and this petri dish remained completely clean.
Members, what do you think about Ms Fitzpatrick’s experiment? What other parts of the body do you think would yield such result? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
We must keep germs and bacteria at bay to stay healthy and maintain our immunity. With how contagious many illnesses can be, or how small germs are, it's no surprise that we must constantly be mindful of our hygiene.
However, how much should you actually be worried about coming into contact with bacteria? Is it something we should be constantly guarding against, or are bacteria something we simply have to coexist with?
One woman took on the home experiment of swabbing different areas of her body for bacteria, and the results were surprising.
Chloe Fitzpatrick used Petri dishes to test her breath, fingers, toes, ribs, and legs for bacteria. She then left the experiments to grow in a warm place for several days before sharing her findings on social media.
Chloe Fitzpatrick tested different parts of her body to find out which part had the most amount of bacteria. Image source: TikTok/chloefitz_design.
The Petri dish touched by her breath contained the most colonies of bacteria. Her fingers followed in second with considerably more bacteria than her toes, ribs, and the back of her legs, which showed relatively little growth.
Scientists have confirmed that a person’s mouth can contain a significant number of bacteria, fungi, and viruses, which supports the results of Ms Fitzpatrick’s experiment.
It turns out, the mouth can contain up to 20 billion bacteria—making it the second most infested area after the gut.
Some users expressed their concern with one saying: ‘I’m going to take ten showers!’
Another user suggested: ‘Can you do belly button? That would be so interesting!’
And some users reminded others that: ‘Not all bacteria is bad!’
You can see the results of the breath Petri dish in the video below:
And while it may seem disgusting, emerging scientific literature has indicated that these bacteria, fungi, and viruses play an integral role in the functioning of humans—aiding digestion, protecting us from attacking viruses, and 'teaching' our immune systems to recognise safe versus dangerous microorganisms.
However, lack of proper oral hygiene can lead to ailments like bad breath and dental issues.
Failure to brush regularly aids the multiplication of bacteria in the mouth which then leads to build-up that is the main cause of bad breath.
Dr Priya Deo, an Oral Microbiologist at Dental College and Hospital in Pune, India, also said: 'The mouth with its various niches is an exceptionally complex habitat where microbes colonize the hard surfaces of the teeth and the soft tissues of the oral mucosa.'
'In addition to being the initiation point of digestion, the oral microbiome is crucial in maintaining oral as well as [whole body] health.'
Ms Fitzpatrick’s little experiment is a reminder that microbes are part of our daily life. But how do we get rid of them when we want to? Well, in terms of handwashing, at least.
Another scientist named Dallin Lewis shared his discovery that shaking hands to dry after washing seems to be the most sanitary option.
He sampled hand dryers at public restrooms, gas stations, movie theatres, and shops across Provo in the US. After leaving the Petri dishes for three days, he found nearly all of them crawling with bacteria and fungi in white, yellow, and black smudges.
The public bathroom was reportedly the most contaminated, according to the researcher.
But get this: He also waved a Petri dish through the air to mimic a person drying his hands by shaking them, and this petri dish remained completely clean.
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