How to Sanitize a Toothbrush

Video Transcript

"Hi I'm Dr. Mike Glasmeier of First Impressions Family Dentistry in Nashville, Tennessee and today we'll be talking about ways that you can sanitize your toothbrush. Materials needed to help sanitize a toothbrush can include, but are not limited to peroxide, mouthwash, some sort of ultraviolet light source. It is very important on a daily basis because we are doing daily brushing that food and bacteria can collect on the toothbrush so sanitization becomes very important to maintain a good working toothbrush. Some of the simple things can involve just doing, running water to try to dislodge some of the bacteria from the teeth but also using peroxide or mouthwash can also assist in killing any sort of bacteria that resides on the toothbrush following brushing. Following mechanical dislodgement from mouthwashes and peroxides there are also things available at retail stores that provide some sort of ultraviolet light. Using an ultraviolet light such a this one can also help sanitize the brush by decreasing bacterial counts on the toothbrush. It typically has to occur over night because long term exposure with ultraviolet light is what makes that principle effective against reducing bacteria on toothbrushes. In conclusion there are several ways one can sanitize a toothbrush following use."