TOOTHBRUSH STORAGE

That’s right, toothbrushes.  My aunt recently asked for advice on this and, I have to say, I was stumped.  She’s very much into aesthetics (totally where I get it from) and wanted them out of sight but didn’t quite have anything in mind and hadn’t come across anything she liked. I leave my toothbrushes in the holder above the sink, no questions asked.  And, while I don’t love looking at them, they’re kind of a fact of life that everyone deals with so I never really thought about other ways of storing them.  Though, there was a short period where I kept them in the medicine cabinet because I heard that germs fly when you flush the toilet (called the “aerosol effect”…gross) so better safe than sorry, right?  As I mentioned, that only lasted a while because I felt like the cabinet was too dark and stuffy for wet toothbrushes.  Now I always make sure to close the lid before I flush…TMI?

So, I’ve done a little research on the ADA’s website and this is what I have for you.  Toothbrushes should be stored upright, in the open, and not touching other toothbrushes.  Air-drying is the best way to prevent the harboring of bacteria.  Rinse them well with water before putting them away to rid them of toothpaste and saliva that may be left over.  Sanitizers, which I thought could be cool since I’m becoming more and more obsessed with my teeth the older I get, aren’t proven to do a whole heck of a lot for oral care…you can pass there.  Also, keep toothbrushes far enough away from hand washing area.  It’s not good to splash them with sudsy soap from your dirty hands.

If you're like my aunt (and a little like me) you should pass on the interior storage of the brushes.  Sorry, it just doesn't sound healthy according to the above.  Unless you want to get something to hide the brushes away for when you have guests - and you're sure your brushes are dry.  Maybe a cup of sorts will do.  For the day to day, there are plenty of cool and fun ways to store toothbrushes out in the open. Check out the ones I found on nerdapproved.com and countryliving.com, respectively (I couldn't trace the actual sources).