"Disinfecting Toothbrushes may help in averting COVID – 19"
Disinfecting Toothbrushes may help in averting COVID – 19
Introduction
Yes, your toothbrush can
spread the Corona virus
The availability
of a COVID-19 vaccine has indeed brought some respite, but the threat of
contagion still lingers. The number of positive cases is soaring across the
globe among those yet to be vaccinated. This makes it even more important to
keep oneself protected. One thing that we know quite well about the coronavirus
is that it is highly contagious and can easily spread in a multitude of ways,
which means you should be taking every measure you can to protect yourself from
infection. Findings of a recent study revealed that apart from your regular
safety measure, following a particular hygiene habit could also protect you
from COVID-19: disinfecting your toothbrush.
Let's understand
here how your toothbrush can spread the virus - Imagine you are an asymptomatic
carrier and you use the same place to store your toothbrush as your family. The
possibility of your toothbrush spreading COVID to your family gets extremely
high in such a scenario.
How disinfecting your
toothbrush can protect you from COVID
By far we know
that covering the mouth while coughing or sneezing, maintaining six feet
distance and cleaning hands regularly can cut down the risk of infection. But
as per a finding of Brazilian researchers, disinfecting your toothbrush can be
a new way to stay safe.
In the study
published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, the researchers pointed out
that our toothbrush can "act as reservoirs for microorganisms", which
can easily transmit disease from a sick to a healthy person. This revelation is
quite startling, especially in the COVID era because it has already been
established that a high viral load of virus can be found in the saliva,
nasopharynx, and oropharynx.
This makes it
important to disinfect the toothbrushes and maintain oral hygiene to control the
transmission of the virus, especially in asymptomatic cases or those who await
the test result for COVID-19.
Another study supporting
this claim
Sharing toothbrushes and other
ill-advised oral hygiene measures could play an influential role in spreading
COVID-19, according to new research.
The latest
study showed that sharing a toothbrush, toothpaste, the same container for the
brush and not changing the brush after the viral process, are all possible
routes of cross-contamination of coronavirus.
The investigation
monitored hundreds of families over the course of 15 days and found over half
(55%) of COVID-positive people who share a toothbrush passed the virus onto
other family members in the household.
Latest figures
collected by the charity show that around one-in-four (26%) Brits are openly
willing the share their toothbrush with others.
Dr Nigel
Carter OBE, Chief Executive of the Oral Health Foundation, believes oral
hygiene habits like sharing toothbrushes are linked to the transmission of many
diseases and should be discouraged.
Dr Carter
says: “There are many hundreds of different bacteria and viruses in our mouths
and those sharing a toothbrush could be passing these on to others.
“While this
might be something relatively harmless, such as a common cold or cold sore, if
the person you are sharing with is infected with viruses like hepatitis B and
now coronavirus, these could also be passed on via the toothbrush, with severe
health consequences.”
In addition to
sharing a toothbrush, the research published in BMC Oral Health, discovered an
even greater risk for families leaving their toothbrushes in the same
container. Two-in-three (66%) people who tested positive for coronavirus
and who share a toothbrush container with family members, passed the virus on
to them.
Further
findings showed the same tube of toothpaste should also not be used between
members of the same family, as this is another way of facilitating
cross-contamination. Households with a COVID-positive member increase
their risk of spreading the virus by almost a third (30%) if they share the
same tube of toothpaste.
The study also
found that people who disinfect their brush in an antibacterial mouthwash
reduce their chances of passing the virus onto family members in the household
by more than a third (39%).
“Storing
toothbrushes in the same container has always been a bad idea, but today this
separation has become a real necessity,” adds Dr Carter. “This is
especially important if a person has the virus without the symptoms, as they could
be unknowingly spreading the virus to loved ones.
“It is
important to store your toothbrush away from others, in a dry place and with
the brush head pointing upwards. This allows the bristles to dry faster and
hinders the spread of any virus or bacteria that may be lingering on the
brush. If you know you are infected, soaking your brush in an
antibacterial mouthwash after brushing could also help kill any bacteria and
viruses on the toothbrush.”
In the same
investigation, more than half (54%) of those who did not change their
toothbrush after being tested positive for COVID-19, passed the virus on to
other people in their household.
The Oral
Health Foundation usually recommends changing your toothbrush or brush head
every three months, or when the bristles become worn. The charity is now
advising anybody who has had coronavirus, or symptoms of the virus, to change
their toothbrush.
Changing the
toothbrush, along with other simple oral hygiene actions, are relatively easy
steps you can take to reduce possible spread of the COVID-19.”
The study also
found that tongue cleaning was the most effective oral hygiene habit in
reducing the spread of the virus.
Earlier
studies also showed that the saliva exchange can lead to the transmission of
the infection.
According to a
study published in July 2020 in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, some
mouthwash can reduce the viral load of the COVID strains in the saliva. The
researchers of this study used an antiseptic solution containing ethanol and
essential oils, like Listerine Cool Mint, and showed how helpful mouthwashes
can be in killing the deadly viruses.
The paper
noted that mouth is an early target of infection for COVID-19, especially the
tongue, which is a great reservoir of viral germs.
The authors of
the study believe that if effectively implemented, hygiene in the home and in
daily life has the potential to reduce infection rates and antibiotic
consumption.
Tooth
brushing, interdental cleaning and tongue cleaning are all deemed essential in
order to reduce the presence of the virus in the mouth.
How to disinfect your
toothbrush
The
Brazilian researchers concluded that to disinfect the toothbrush, it is
important to immerse it in mouthwash for 20 minutes. However, in the previous
study, it was pointed out that one only needs to swish with the solution for 30
seconds to reduce the viral load present in the mouth. In the case of
toothbrushes, the timing is higher due to the presence of bristles and
moisture.
The six-step rule to
disinfect your toothbrush
Just dipping your
toothbrush in the solution is not enough to cut down the risk of infection. To
ensure complete protection, the researchers laid out six steps to complete the
hygiene task.
Step 1: Wash your
hands with water and soap or disinfect them with hand sanitiser that contains
at least 70 per cent alcohol.
Step 2: After
this disinfect your toothbrush handle with 70 per cent alcohol for one minute.
Step 3: Brush
your teeth.
Step 4: When you
are done cleaning your teeth, wash the brush and disinfect the handle with 70
per cent alcohol again for a minute.
Step 5: Immerse
the head of your brush in ethanol and essential oil-based mouthwash solution
and leave it for 20 minutes.
Step 6: Let your
brush dry and then store it away from others.
Who should disinfect
their brush?
Disinfecting the brush is particularly important for people
living together in a house and sharing a common bathroom. Transmission of the
virus among the living under the same roof is quite high. So, if you are
waiting for your test results, disinfect your toothbrush and keep it separate
to ensure the safety of others.
Conclusion
Amid
the surge in COVID-19 cases across the India,
everyone is advised to take health precautions against the deadly virus. There
are already several guidelines for positive patients who are recovering
from coronavirus and now dentists have
suggested another precaution to this list.
As per dentists, individuals should
change their toothbrush and tongue cleaner as soon as they recover from the
infection.
While the vaccination drive is going
in full swing all over the country, experts are of the view that changing the
toothbrush and tongue cleaner immediately after testing negative can help to
prevent re-infection. Discarding toothbrushes also save other family members
who use the same washroom from the virus.
As
per the World Health Organisation (WHO), coronavirus grows
from one person to another via tiny droplets from the mouth of a person who has
contracted the infection. Also said to be airborne, COVID-19 can spread by touching the contaminated
surfaces. This means that toothpaste, tongue cleaner among other toiletry
items used by a positive patient must have a huge concentration of the
virus. Using the same items might result in infecting others or the same person
can contract it again.
"If
you or anyone in your family and friend circle have contracted COVID-19 , once recovered, please ensure to change
your toothbrush, tongue cleaner, etc. These can harbour the virus, and it is
best they are discarded," According to Dr Pravesh Mehra, Head of
Department of Dental Surgery, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi.
These days, the cases of Mucormycosis
(black fungus) among patients suffering or recovering from COVID-19 are also rising with each passing day.
Coronavirus
infections are spreading in India at an alarming rate and it is now well
evidenced that a person can be re-infected after having recovered once. While
vaccines have proven to be effective as apreventive measure, experts are of the
view that even they can’t guarantee 100 per cent protection in all situations,
at all times.
Precaution
thus become important, both, for those who have not contracted the disease yet
and those who haverecently recovered.
Dentists
are of the view that a person who has recently recovered from COVID – 19should
immediately change their toothbrush upon recovery.
Here are some precautions to be taken
when someone in the family tests positive for the deadly infection or recovers
from it:
- Do not keep toiletry items like
toothpaste, towels, toothbrush, tongue cleaner, etc. together
- Change toiletry items after recovering from COVID-19 as
it decreases the chance of transmission and re-infection
- Brush twice or thrice a day
- After recovery, keep rinsing your mouth regularly.
- A recovered patient should clean the brush and tongue cleaner regularly using
an antiseptic mouthwash.
Dr. Mayank Chandrakar is a writer also. My first book "Ayurveda Self Healing: How to Achieve Health and Happiness" is available on Kobo and Instamojo. You can buy and read.
For Kobo-
https://www.kobo.com/search?query=Ayurveda+Self+Healing
The second Book "Think Positive Live Positive: How Optimism and Gratitude can change your life" is available on Kobo and Instamojo.
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