An expert has issued a warning about the placement of toothbrushes in bathrooms, highlighting a rather gruesome reason for caution. Keeping your brushes near the toilet could result in them being "contaminated" with a plethora of nasty bacteria.

Maintaining oral hygiene is crucial, with recommendations to brush teeth at least twice daily to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. Yet, despite the importance of this daily habit, you might be unwittingly exposing yourself to harmful germs.

Brian Toward, a bathroom specialist and CEO of Wholesale Domestic, pointed out that storing your toothbrush close to the toilet is a "common" blunder. To mitigate this risk, he advises placing toothbrushes "at least" one metre from the toilet due to potential contamination from aerosolised particles during flushing.

He explained: "Your toothbrush goes straight into your mouth, so should be stored at least one metre away from the toilet and ideally with a cover, especially in shared bathrooms. If it's left too close, it can become contaminated by toilet spray, which may carry bacteria like E. coli. This can lead to illnesses such as gut infections and urinary tract infections."

Additionally, he emphasised the importance of always flushing with the lid down to avoid spreading E.coli, a bacterium found in the intestines of humans and animals, some strains of which are notorious for causing severe food poisoning. It can be passed through faeces, as well as contaminated water and food.

An infection can lead to diarrhoea, stomach pains and vomiting. Echoing his warning experts at Paradise Dental Associates stressed the dangers of poor toothbrush storage.

"Don't store your toothbrush anywhere near the toilet," they said. "That's because toilets are full of bacteria, and you don't want those germs anywhere near your toothbrush."

They added: "In fact, it's best to keep your toothbrush as far away from the toilet as possible. If your bathroom is small and storage is limited, do put the toilet seat down before flushing and do put a cover on your toothbrush when it's dry, between uses. Do disinfect your toothbrush regularly."

Brian underlined another key piece of dental advice regarding toothbrushes. He added: "Dentists recommend changing your toothbrush every three months but many people go far longer.

"Not only does an old toothbrush lose effectiveness, it also collects bacteria over time. If you've been ill, it's even more important to switch out your toothbrush, otherwise you risk re-exposure to the illness even after you've recovered."

Story Saved

You can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.