How a Toothbrush Sanitizer Keeps Germs Out of Your Mouth

WARNING:  If you are a germaphobe or don't want to be freaked out for the rest of your life, don't read any farther.  You have been warned.

If you really want to be grossed out, go get a black light and go into your bathroom.  Turn out the lights and turn on the black light.  Grab your toothbrush or wave the black light around where your toothbrush sits.  The black light will illuminate the millions of germs and bacteria that are living on your toothbrush that you put in your mouth every day.

There are numerous studies that link our overall health with our oral health.  Gum disease in its most severe state has been linked with diabetes, heart disease, stroke and even premature birth.  On average there are about 10 million bacteria thriving on your toothbrush any given day.  The viruses that cause the flu and colds can live for days on your toothbrush.  If you share your toothbrush you have a good chance of catching whatever your partner has through cross contamination.  Cross contamination can even occur with multiple toothbrushes in a toothbrush holder.  The number of ailments that you can contract or re-contract from your toothbrush is staggering.  The bathroom is also full of other nasty surprises.

Every time you flush your toilet, small particles of the toilet water are propelled into the air, where they can spread to the rest of your bathroom, even your toothbrush.  I'm very happy that my toilet isn’t near my sink.  The bathroom is also usually a humid and moist environment, the perfect breeding ground for mildew, mold and bacteria to grow.  The bathroom is often an interior room, while good for tornados; the darkness is an ideal area for the bacteria and germs to grow and multiply.

The American Dental Association and is members recommend replacing your toothbrush every 3 to 4 months.  On average, American’s only change their toothbrush every 6 months.  That is a long time for nasty stuff to grow on your toothbrush.  There are a number of new devices that claim to sanitize your toothbrush.  We will look at a few of those, but we will also provide several homemade alternatives to keep your toothbrush sanitized.

Most of the sanitizing devices available today use ultra-violet or UV light to kill the germs.  UV light has been shown to be up to 99.9% effective at killing germs and viruses.  Steam is also a popular sanitizer used in toothbrush sanitizers.

VIOlight is a popular toothbrush sanitizer maker that has several models.  All of the models use UV light to kill germs.  Several models are available in all shapes and sizes, with designs meant to be left out on your bathroom counter. VIOlight claims that their toothbrush sanitizers are clinically proven to eliminate 99.9% of bacteria on your toothbrush.

Zapi UV Toothbrush Sanitizer
The Zapi is a low cost battery operated device that uses UV light to kill germs.  It is small enough to leave out on your bathroom counter.  Just a quick press of the cleaning button will sanitize your toothbrush in around 7 minutes.  It is designed to only sanitize the bristles.

VIOlight Toothbrush Sanitizer Counter Unit
VIOlight Counter Unit also works with Ultra Violet light to destroy the germs.  It can hold up to four brushes and takes about 10 minutes to sanitize the bristles.

Germ Terminator Toothbrush Sanitizer
The Germ Terminator is a steam powered unit that sanitizes the entire tooth brush.  It uses the same steam technology as the professional sanitizers dentists use.




Homemade Toothbrush Cleaner

There are several ways you can sanitize your toothbrush without the use of machines.  The ADA recommends that you let your toothbrush air dry between uses.  That doesn't really cut it for me, so I have found a few ways to get the job done easily and quickly.  One method is to keep a small squirt bottle full of hydrogen peroxide or Listerine.  After you brush your teeth, just squirt a liberal amount over your entire toothbrush.  Both Listerine and hydrogen peroxide are great disinfectants.  For those of you who want to disinfect your toothbrush less often you can use a steam cleaning machine like the Scunci Steamer to sanitize your toothbrush.

The most important thing to take away from this article is the knowledge that germs are easily spread on your toothbrush.  If you get a cold or the flu, throw away your toothbrush so as not to re-infect yourself a week later.  Following these easy steps will help protect yourself and your family and might just make you a little healthier.

Related Posts:

• Sanitize and Disinfect with Steam
• Cleaning Powers of Hydrogen Peroxide
• Brush More Than Your Teeth With a Toothbrush

Homemade Clorox Wipe Cleaing Tool

As with most of us, I am always interested in finding new ways to make tasks that I don't enjoy quicker and easier. I was recently watching a TV ad for a car window cleaner that was pretty much a scrubbing pad on a stick. It didn't really impress me, until I was cleaning my bathroom. I like to use Clorox disinfecting cleaning wipes around the toilet and sink. They are quick and easy for the fast cleanups. They do a great job on the tile floor as well, but I hate having to put my face in the toilet to wipe up behind it, especially in the guest bathroom!

My mind went back to the car window cleaner. If only I could attach the disinfecting wipes to a scrubber pad with a short handle, it would make my life so easy. I went looking for anything that I could use and found the perfect handle. Our old dish scrubber with the plastic handle! The scrubbing pad was almost completely gone, but the handle was perfect. I drilled a small hole through the handle and I wrap the disinfecting wipe over the end and push a small nail through the holes securing it to the remains of the scrubbing pad end. The handle is curved and gets into all of the tight spaces around my toilet! Seeing as how we were just going to throw the dish scrubber away, I was very happy with how it turned out. I am now thinking about attaching two alligator clips to the handle to make changing pads easier.

Please let us know about any unique cleaning contraptions that you have come up with. Not all of us love to clean, but we all love getting done faster!

How to Kill Swine Flu, Bird Flu or any Flu Virus

Swine flu has been in the news for the last several weeks. Many people are starting to panic because they don't know much about the virus and the news media is really hyping this story. As of today, it looks like this variant of the virus (H1N1) is only about as deadly as the normal seasonal flu. This can change quickly as the virus evolves and largely depends on what hosts the virus can spread to. If kept unchecked, this could become much worse later in the year as the real flu season starts. This is the best time for everyone to become educated on what they can do to help stop the spread of this flue. Just remember that the swine flu can be killed in the same ways as regular or avian flu. This virus has many weaknesses.

The first thing to remember is that the flu is passed by bodily secretions. As people cough and sneeze, blow their noses and touch things, they can leave the virus on various surfaces. The most important thing you can do to protect yourself is to wash your hands frequently. You should wash your hands for 30 to 60 seconds. If you have kids remember to help them wash long enough. Washing your hands does not kill the virus. Washing your hands mechanically removed the virus from your hands and washes it down the drain. You can use waterless hand sanitizer to kill the flu virus, but make sure it is at least 60% alcohol.

On hard surfaces the flu virus can be killed with any cleaning product that states that it is a "disinfectant." Be sure to check the label as it should state specifically if the disinfectant kills the influenza virus. Things like Lysol and Clorox wipes will kill flu virus.

The following environmental factors can also kill the flu virus:

1. Any heat above 160 degrees Fahrenheit. So your stove, dishwasher and dryer will kill the virus.
2. Cooking any foods above 165 will kill any virus in food products.
3. Alcohol solutions of at least 70% alcohol and hand sanitizer at least 60% alcohol.
4. Antiseptic cleansers like Lysol and Clorox Wipes.
5. Bleach will kill flu virus when mixed one cup bleach to one gallon water.

Tomorrow we will talk about where the flu virus and other germs hide in your house and office.

The Germiest Places in Your House

In the last few weeks, the swine flu as started to spread throughout North America and the world. The World Health Organization has raised alert level of a pandemic to 5 out of 6. Many people are worried about how this flu is spread. Don't forget that you can kill the flu virus easily. The more difficult task is finding where it hides. Here are my top 7 places that germs like to hide in your house and office:

1. Door Knobs
2. Light Switches
3. Appliance Handles
4. The Telephone
5. Faucets
6. TV Remote
7. Computer Keyboard and Mouse

Everyone in my household uses and touches these items everyday. Whenever someone gets sick, I always try to keep these clean using a bleach wipe or spray with Lysol. I have two school age children and have not been sick in over a year. Cleaning these basic areas and obsessive hand washing have been my recipe for success. Sadly, my wife hasn't been so lucky.

Think about the things your family uses everyday and remember to clean those with extra care. For further information on how to kill the flu and germs read our tips on how to kill the flu virus and germs.

You may also be interested in The 12 Germiest Places.

Using a Black Light to Find and Destroy Germs

Germs live all over our houses. Even after we clean they can still be there. A trick I use around the bathroom and kitchen is to use a black light to find the hidden and stubborn germs. Just dim the lights a little and wave a black light or UV light about 6 inches above the area you want to check. Many types of germs and organics will fluoresce or glow under the UV light of a black light. Once you see the glow you know where to clean more thoroughly. Black lights are also helpful in finding old dog and cat urine stains in carpeting. You can clean much better when you know where to real trouble spots are, just be warned that you will forever look at your bathroom in a new light!

12 Germiest Places

Health Magazine reported the 12 Germiest Places in their latest issue. Here's the list:

1. Your kitchen sink
2. Airplane bathrooms
3. A load of wet laundry
4. Public drinking fountains
5. Shopping cart handles
6. ATM buttons
7. Your handbag
8. Playgrounds
9. Mats and machines at health clubs
10. Your bathtub
11. Your office phone
12. The hotel-room remote control

The list shows the importance of washing your hands. With flu season starting soon, washing your hands can greatly reduce your risks of getting sick.