‘Is It Really Harmful to Brush Your Teeth in the Shower?’

According to the dentist Could the warm water soften your toothbrush bristles? Sometimes a brush becomes so soft that brushing your teeth is no longer effective. In addition, bacteria from the shower head can end up on your toothbrush. And another, more practical problem: the combination of water and toothpaste can make your shower floor extra slippery. This increases the risk of nasty falls.

Shower with drinking water

It doesn’t all sound appetizing. Is brushing your teeth in the shower really that bad? “It’s not too bad,” says microbiologist Jasper Buikx. “We have the cleanest water in the world. The fact that we shower with drinking water is actually very strange.”

What you do have to be careful about is where you leave your toothbrush. “Your toothbrush will of course stay wet if you leave it in the shower. It’s also warm there,” says Buikx. “The bacteria that are still in your brush after brushing could then start to breed.” That’s why it’s smart to dry your brush after brushing and store it properly.

Even if you have a toilet in your bathroom, it’s not a drama. “They say you have to close your toilet valve, otherwise bacteria will get into the air and eventually onto your toothbrush. But if you just put your toothbrush down by the tap, I think it’s fine.”

Advantages

Furthermore, according to Buikx, you don’t have to worry about anything if you just keep your bathroom clean and shower regularly. Then it only has advantages to brush your teeth during a shower. “It’s more durable and faster.”