Toothbrushing habits linked with spread of COVID-19 infections, research finds

10th November 2020
Sharing toothbrushes and other ill-advised oral hygiene measures could play an influential role in spreading COVID-19, according to new research.
The latest study showed that sharing a toothbrush, toothpaste, the same container for the brush and not changing the brush after the viral process, are all possible routes of cross-contamination of coronavirus.
The investigation monitored hundreds of families over the course of 15 days and found over half (55%) of COVID-positive people who share a toothbrush passed the virus onto other family members in the household.
Latest figures collected by the charity show that around one-in-four (26%) Brits are openly willing the share their toothbrush with others.
Dr Nigel Carter OBE, Chief Executive of the Oral Health Foundation, believes oral hygiene habits like sharing toothbrushes are linked to the transmission of many diseases and should be discouraged.
Dr Carter says: “There are many hundreds of different bacteria ...