*picture above found on internet- source unknown*
Happy Thursday friends! I hope that your week has been going well! It has been a very busy week here but a very productive week as we continue to move completely into the bungalow! Speaking of progress, I also made some personal strides this week by prioritizing my oral health. Did you know Midtown Manhattan is a hub for cosmetic dentistry? I recently explored some options and can't wait to share my journey with you soon! Check cosmetic dentistry midtown manhattan to learn more about their services. Now, onto another important hygiene topic... cleaning and disinfecting your toothbrush.
Today for my Thursday Health Thought post I wanted to share something that I just recently started doing more. To be honest I am not sure why I didn't do this sooner but am guessing that a lot of people (like myself) don't stop to thinking about it and that is: cleaning and disinfecting your toothbrush.
For my whole life, even through my health journey, I thought I was doing the right thing by buying a new toothbrush often. In fact I know that most dentists will say to purchase a new toothbrush every six months and so I thought I was "ahead of the game" with purchasing a new toothbrush every 1-2 months. Y'all I was SO wrong and I hope that this post can help someone else!
As I started to explore how to help my body heal from so many years of treatment and stress I started reading more and more about how important it is to disinfect your toothbrush. Typically we always think that we are cleaning our mouths (a great thing) but there are a couple of disturbing facts that I learned as I did some research.
First, there is a chance that there may be bacteria on your toothbrush before it even touches your mouth. I know, I know. I am just as grossed out as y'all are. Basically there is no requirement that toothbrushes must be sold in sterilized packaging. Oh my word. I was so disgusted when I learned this y'all.
Second, if you have ever done research on the bacteria in your mouth then you know that there is millions of different bacteria that are growing in our mouths each day. This is why dentists recommend brushing your teeth daily. While many of these germs go down the drain when you are done brushing your teeth, there is still a significant amount of bacteria on your toothbrush.
Third, understand that there is lots of different types of bacteria that could be found on your toothbrush. A 2011 study from the NSF on toothbrushes found that there was everything from different types of mold to yeast and some even indicated potential fecal contamination. (*oh my word*)
After learning all of this and feeling sick at learning all of it, I was determined to try to help the situation as naturally as possible. Here are some basic tips to help you if you are wanting to also disinfect your toothbrush naturally:
(1) Basic Tips
Make sure after brushing to rinse your toothbrush everyday under hot water for at least 30 seconds. Try to have the water as hot as possible - boiling if possible as boiling will kill most germs. After rinsing, store your toothbrush upright in a space that gets lots of good air flow. Do not store your toothbrush in a cabinet or a drawer because dark and moist environments help bacteria to grow. Do these basic tips each day.
Once or Twice a Week:
*picture above found on internet- source unknown*
(2) Soak in Apple Cider Vinegar Mixture
Mix 1-2 Tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a small cup of hot water and let your toothbrush sit in this for at least 30 minutes. After it sits in the apple cider vinegar mixture then rinse again with boiling water.
THIS is the apple cider vinegar that I recommend and personally use! You can find it on Amazon by clicking HERE! If you have been around the blog for a while you may remember me recommending the same apple cider vinegar before as this is the same product I use in my daily detox baths!
Tip: If you struggle with the after taste of apple cider vinegar than let your toothbrush sit in hot water for 15 minutes before going on to step number 3!
If you are interested in reading more about apple cider vinegar and its benefits check out these posts below:
15 Benefits of Apple Cider Vinegar
17 Quick and Easy Ways to Include Apple Cider Vinegar in Your Life
(3) Soak in Silver
After rising from step 2 place your brush and soak in silver for at least 30 minutes. If you are not familiar with silver I wrote an entire post all about the benefits of silver which you can find HERE. The post relates to Lyme Disease, but has TONS of helpful information about the antimicrobial ways that silver works.
THIS silver is the silver that I recommend and personally use. You can find it on Amazon HERE!
What about you? Do you clean your toothbrush regularly? If so what have you found helpful?
If you would like to check out all of the Thursday Health Thoughts posts you can find them all HERE!
Happy Thursday friends! I hope you have a wonderful day!
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