Toothbrush Hygiene

• Research has shown that toothbrushes are a major risk factor in the transmission of disease.
• Within 2 days toothbrushes are heavily infected with bacteria, viruses and fungi that can cause disease. These can include the agents of T.B., viral hepatitis and AIDS.
• Toothbrush rinsing helps to reduce the contamination but some organisms remain. Thus people reusing their  toothbrushes are at risk of re-infecting themselves.
• Furthermore; cross infection between toothbrushes can  occur when they are kept in close proximity. For example the cold sore virus can survive for more than 7 days on a moist toothbrush.