Risk of infection After a cold, always replace the toothbrush

Renewed risk of infection: After a cold urgently change toothbrush
Colds in winter are not uncommon. For adults, two to four flu infections per year are completely normal. A protective measure to avoid re-infecting after surviving disease is to change the toothbrush.

Several colds a year
If you've gotten a cold, you should definitely spare yourself. It is also important to drink a lot. Through an increased fluid intake, the stubborn mucus dissolves better and the secretions in the nose are diluted. In addition, there are many well-tried home remedies for the treatment of colds. After a cold, you should take measures to not get infected again. One of these is the change of toothbrush.

After a cold has overcome the toothbrush should be changed. Otherwise threatened by bacteria between the bristles a renewed infection. (Image: orinocoArt / fotolia.com)

After overcoming illness change toothbrush
For people who have just brought a cold behind, worth buying a new toothbrush, said Thomas Wolf from the Federal Board of the Free Association of German Dentists (FVDZ) in a message from the news agency dpa.

Healthy people prevent them from getting infected again with bacteria that are still stuck between the bristles. However, according to the experts, this tip is not heeded by very few.

Other experts see overcoming infections as a reason that toothbrushes urgently need to go away, because "after colds or flu infections, treated gingivitis or healed herpes, the pathogens of such diseases, despite all caution persistently stubbornly on the cleaning tool," writes the State Dental Association Brandenburg on their website.

"If you simply continue using it after curing, it can lead to an involuntary re-infection," it continues.

New toothbrush after three months at the latest
According to Wolf, some people would have several toothbrushes next to the sink in order to always have a well-dried one ready. The dentist thinks that is exaggerated. A toothbrush is enough.

According to the expert, this should be replaced every six to eight weeks. "It also depends on the degree of hardness," said Wolf, according to dpa. According to him, one could say one
if necessary, use the hard toothbrush for three months.

"But then really has a new her," the doctor warned. After a professional cleaning of the teeth, however, the purchase of a new toothbrush is not necessary, according to Wolf. According to the press agency, he said, "Before any bacteria return to their mouths, nobody really needs to be scared." (Ad)