New research suggests that toothbrushes may be covered in poop, The Huffington Post reported.
Researchers at Quinnipiac University found that toothbrushes can serve as a vector for transmission of potentially pathogenic organisms. Their findings confirm the transmission of fecal bacteria in communal bathrooms.
"The main concern is not with the presence of your own fecal matter on your toothbrush, but rather when a toothbrush is contaminated with fecal matter from someone else, which contains bacteria, viruses or parasites that are not part of your normal flora," researcher Lauren Aber said in a statement.
For the study, researchers collected toothbrushes from participants using communal bathrooms, with an average of 9.4 occupants per bathroom. Regardless of the storage method, at least 60 percent of the toothbrushes were contamination with fecal coliforms, NewsQuench reported.
They found no differences with the effectiveness of the decontamination methods between cold water, hot water or rinsing with mouthwash and 100 percent of toothbrushes regularly rinsed with mouthwash had growth on MacConkey agar indicating fecal contamination.
They also concluded that there is an 80 percent chance that the fecal coliforms seen on the toothbrushes came from another person using the same bathroom.
"Using a toothbrush cover doesn't protect a toothbrush from bacterial growth, but actually creates an environment where bacteria are better suited to grow by keeping the bristles moist and not allowing the head of the toothbrush to dry out between uses," Aber said."Better hygiene practices are recommended for students who share bathrooms both in the storage of their toothbrush but also in personal hygiene."
Researchers also recommend that students follow the American Dental Association recommendations for toothbrush hygiene.
