Oral Care
Keep your Electric Toothbrush free of Germs
An electric toothbrush is a boon to people suffering from arthritis or muscle problems, for whom the use of a manual toothbrush is indeed a challenge. It is capable of reaching out to places in your mouth and teeth, where a normal toothbrush is not able to reach. Maintenance of electric toothbrushes is somewhat different from the manual toothbrushes, which we wash out well under running water and then hang up to dry.
Of course you should clean an electric toothbrush initially every day the same way as a manual toothbrush by holding its bristles under running water. The bristles can be dried by tapping them on the sink edge and then you can put the toothbrush back in the rack or stand to dry.
But every fortnight the electric toothbrush should be washed with hydrogen peroxide. Soak the bristles in about 2 or 3 inches of hydrogen peroxide in a glass. After about an hour, rinse the bristles again under running water and leave to dry. And about once a month the same treatment should be done by replacing household bleach for hydrogen peroxide.
Take care not to submerge the on/off button under the liquid, because if liquid seeps into the machine, it may just stop working. The toothbrush may appear to be sealed, but if there is a slightest space somewhere, the liquid may find its way through it.
Rinse off both the hydrogen peroxide and the bleach thoroughly, so that there are no remnants in the bristles, otherwise you can taste it when you brush your teeth the next time. Also, the toothpaste that you use should be washed off thoroughly every day; otherwise it harbours germs and bacteria in the electric toothbrush. Keep your toothbrush totally clean, and when you brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste and after that use a refreshing mouthwash, your mouth feels fresh and clean and your teeth remain white and sparkling.