We brush twice a day to maintain a healthy oral cavity. We also take baths regularly, eat healthy food, and exercise regularly just to maintain a healthy body. Suppose someone asks you why you brush your oral cavity.
In that case, you will probably Answer that I brush my oral cavity to keep it clean, plaque-free, and to prevent halitosis, but what if someone told you that by brushing, you are increasing the risk of cavities and inducing more bacteria in the mouth.
You may think that it’s impossible, but it’s true. If you are not taking care of your brush and cleaning it regularly, then you are promoting bacterial growth in the mouth instead of cleaning your teeth.
Now you are maybe someone who just switched from a manual toothbrush to an electric toothbrush, and you may wonder how it is possible to clean your electric brush. If you have an electric toothbrush of the oral-b brand, then you have my back because here in this article, we will discuss how to clean an oral-b toothbrush.
How to clean oral-b electric toothbrush
Disinfecting your electric toothbrush is not that tough, and there are different ways. You have to disinfect them daily, and you also have to deep clean them after a week or two.
Daily basis cleaning
Most people settle for daily cleaning and think it’s enough, and in most cases, it’s enough. For sanitizing your brush daily, you can simply rinse it under hot water.
Rinse your brush under steaming hot water before and after brushing. If you want extra care, you can keep your brush in mouthwash after use.
Deep cleaning
You can do deep cleaning after a week or two weeks. For deep cleaning your oral-b electric toothbrush, follow the following methods.
Denture cleanse
For Deep cleaning purposes, you may use your denture cleaning solution. If you don’t wear any dentures, you can still get a denture cleaner from the pharmacy and use it on your toothbrush.
Denture cleaners have antibacterial agents which can kill bacteria that may be left by hot water. Make sure not to reuse the denture cleaner which you use on your denture.
Take a tablet, dissolve half of it into the cup of water, and keep your toothbrush in it for one to two minutes.
UV toothbrush sanitizer
Another preferable option that is much more reliable is using a UV sanitizing device specially built for toothbrush heads.
One study conducted on the effectiveness of UV light Chambers claims that instead of using saline solution and chlorhexidine gluconate solution, it is a better option to use UV light as it can sanitize your brush heads more effectively than any other disinfectant can.
A sanitizing UV device is a costly option that can cost a lot of money and is not necessary. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also claims that it is not something a must-have for cleaning toothbrush heads.
Bleach and water
You can use it after two weeks to clean your brush heads. You can prepare a solution containing one part bleach and ten parts water. Mix bleach and water in any small container.. just make sure the size of the container is enough to dip the brush head completely.
Make sure you use latex gloves, as undiluted bleach may cause excessive irritation. You can also go for hydrogen peroxide and hydrogen peroxide-based Mouthwash if you don’t want to use bleach.
Soak your brush head into the bleach solution for an hour. Ensure you do not soak it for more than an hour, as the beach is strong even after dilation. Also, keep it away from children’s range to avoid accidents.
After one hour, rinse it thoroughly with water, so no bleach is left on the head.
For cleaning handles, you can use the same mixture. Grab a cloth, dip it in solution and wipe your handle with its help. Make sure that you unplug your brush handle before doing this.
How to keep your brush clean for a long time?
If you are someone who wants to take care of your brush instead of deep cleaning it after a week, then here are some tips for you.
- Store your toothbrush in a diluted hydrogen peroxide solution daily after brushing your teeth
- Try to store your oral-b electric toothbrush in its stand instead of storing it with another toothbrush in a toothbrush cup
- Try to keep your toothbrush away from your toilet. When you flush, the residues of fecal matter may contaminate your brush
- Make sure to let your brush air dry and don’t store it in close air tight boxes
- Make sure to clean your toothbrush after brushing every time
Why do you need to change your brush even after cleaning?
If you have little knowledge about toothbrushes, you may know that you have to change your toothbrush every three months even if you clean it properly. After three months, there is exceptional growth of bacteria on the toothbrush, and it can’t be treated by just using disinfectant methods; also, the bristles wear out after three months, so make sure to change every three to four months.
Also, change your toothbrush head early if you are suffering from any illness, if your brush head wears early, or if someone used it.
My cleaning method
I mostly prefer to clean my toothbrush after two weeks and use the bleach method. Daily, I rinse it at an average temperature. If I feel toothpaste crumbs on my toothbrush, I soak it in hot water or hydrogen peroxide. Also, I make sure to change my brush head after three months.
FAQs
Is it ok to wash the handle?
It is entirely ok to wash the brush handle as it is waterproof.
What is the best method to sanitize the brush?
The best method to sanitize the brush head is UV sanitizer.
Conclusion
In this article, we discussed that:
How to clean an oral b electric toothbrush?
If you are completely new to electric toothbrushes and want to clean your Oral-B electric toothbrush, this guide is a perfect teacher for you. Make sure to go through it completely and do it with precaution and care to avoid any hazard.