Research-backed insights and practical guides to help you live healthier, feel better, and solve everyday challenges.
A used toothbrush sits damp in the most humid room in your house, bristles touching someone else's, about three feet from the toilet — until you put it back in your mouth. I rinsed mine every time. My dentist asked me one question and I didn't have an answer.
I was brushing twice a day, using mouthwash morning and night, and chewing gum before every meeting. My dentist checked my gums, said everything looked fine — then asked me one question I'd never thought about: where do you keep your toothbrush?
A pacifier can look spotless while still carrying contamination invisible to the eye. Visual cleanliness is not the same as sanitization — which is exactly why a quick glance cannot confirm whether it is ready to go back in a baby's mouth.