Reinfecting Your Mouth With Your Toothbrush Everyday! Yuck!

Your “what’s cookin’, goodlookin’” smile, which the HSR takes very seriously and fiduciarily, NEEDS YOU TO, EARLY AND OFTEN, BE UP-FRONT, CLOSE, AND PERSONAL WITH THE TOOTHBRUSH, TOOTHPASTE AND FLOSS OF YOUR CHOICE, SO YOUR GRIN CAN STEADILY REIGN SUPREME!

We’ve all heard the spiel…brush at least twice a daily, floss at least once a day, and use a remineralizing mouthwash, plus semiannual visits to your dentist, just like the big dental authorities recommend.

But, on a microbiological level, the toothbrush can be one of our best dental hygiene-promoting devices, or one our worst source-of-infection enemies, as far as harboring germs and gunk bewtixed and between the all-mighty bristles and around the head of the brush, is concerned.

Take Away Point: to keep your smile and body as healthy as possible, keep your toothbrushes clean between uses.

Yes, the foundation of any serious daily oral hygiene regimen starts with the trusty toothbrush!

So, take care of your toothbrushes, and they will take care of you.

Care for your toothbrush properly by:

-first starting off with a soft-bristled toothbrush. It’s easier on the teeth and gums and reduces your risk of chronically experiencing toothbrushing trauma, which may result in ever-growing abrasive lesions.

-storing your toothbrush in a room other than the bathroom, which is the most contaminated room in the residence, because of the aerosolized human waste products kick into the air from the flushing toilet, and the dampness produced by the hot water from the shower or tub.

-thoroughly removing any visible toothpaste and other material off of the toothbrush bristles with drinkable water after brushing.

-shaking any water off of the toothbrush and let it air dry after each use.

- soaking your toothbrushes in an antimicrobial mouth rinse for a short time, every once in a while, to kill any susceptible germs.

-having a second toothbrush on the ready, so you can use it while the other one finishes thoroughly drying.

-not storing your toothbrush in a tightly-sealed container, because microorganisms can multiply easier in a damp environment.

-changing your toothbrushes for a new one after an illness like a cold, flu, or oral sore.

-keeping several new and unopened toothbrushes at home, for emergency replacement for yourself, and for visitors who may need one.

-replacing your toothbrushes when they shows signs of wear or when they have  been used for three or four months. Plastic-derived bristles do irreversibly degrade over time and with constant use.

-not sharing a toothbrush with another person, even in emergencies, because bacteria that cause cavities, gum disease, and other maladies can possibly spread among the users.

-realizing that newly packaged toothbrushes are not sterile when we first buy and open them.

-changing your toothbrush after dropping it on a floor of questionable cleanliness.

-habitually flossing before brushing. Then remineralizingly rinse afterward.

-using an Ultraviolet light system to disinfect your toothbrush if possible.

-rinsing the mouth with a mouthwash before brushing to reduce the total microbiome and residual food load present in the mouth, so there is less materia alba to debride away in the first place.

-separating your toothbrushes from those of other people so that they do not touch and possibly cross-contaminate each other with debris and germs.

-using a force appropriate to remove plaque from the teeth and gums, but not excessive force. Use a force about equal to the weight of an average orange fruit.

-hygienically treating the brushing heads of battery-powered toothbrushes just as you would the manual type.

Compliment, not complicate!

May you have many…mindfully meditate, using all of the senses, and you will feel all of the various energy flows that radiate by you and saturate into you…visually witness all of the forces of nature, from the serene, quiet, and colorful, to the chaotic, volcanic, and tumultuous…don’t forget to breathe!…smiles!