Special Report: Toothbrush trouble

Bacteria! We know its gross and can lead to infections, so why would you put it in your mouth?

Well you may not realize your doing it. Every time you brush your teeth.

Dr. Max Goodson, Director of Clinical Research for The Forseyth Institute
"You shouldn’t be surprised that there will be millions of bacteria on a toothbrush once its been used."

What kind of bacteria? Well 7News put brushes to the test to find out.

Andrea Fontaine, Foods Research Labs
"We tested five toothbrushes and we found different levels of bacteria in all of them."

Our toothbrushes had everything from yeast to mold; even staph all buried in the bristles.

Andrea Fontaine
"Bacteria need water to live so as long as your toothbrush is wet is a degree of time that the bacteria will be on there."

So when's a toothbrush not contaminated with bacteria? Well doctors say only once, when it’s still in the package.

Dr. Max Goodson
"Once the tooth brush goes into the mouth it’s immediately contaminated."

Want to minimize your brush from breeding bacteria? Well to start keep it dry.

Dr. Max Goodson
"Dry it with a towel, let it dry as fast as possible."

Store it up right, allowing any water that is still on it to drain down and keep it from touching other toothbrushes.

Andrea Fontaine
"There's a chance something from their toothbrush can end up on your toothbrush."

If you've been sniffling and sneezing, watch out!

Andrea Fontaine
"If you've been sick yourself and you are reusing the tooth brush then there’s a chance that you will be re infecting yourself."

So throw it out!

Also general rule of thumb, replace your brush every two to three months. They're small steps that can "brush" out any toothbrush trouble.

(Copyright (c) 2006 Sunbeam Television Corp. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)