Dental Advices Provided to you by: Brite Medical Center
Ever found yourself with morning breath but no toothbrush? If so, you may have wondered if finger brushing your teeth is enough to kill bacteria and get your teeth clean.
The answer is: Finger brushing in a pinch is better than not brushing at all. But don’t make it a habit!
In this article, we’ll tell you how to finger brush your teeth effectively and share some additional teeth-cleaning options.
If you need to clean your teeth without a toothbrush, follow these steps:
Finger brushing is better than not brushing at all. That said, it should be used only occasionally or when needed.
Finger brushing with toothpaste can help freshen breath and reduce some of the plaque and bacteria found on teeth. But it can’t effectively get under the gum line or in the crevices between teeth.
A
They also found that finger brushing was less effective on the outsides of teeth, removing only 55 percent of plaque buildup.
To put it plainly, you can catch someone else’s germs, including the ones that cause mononucleosis, colds, and the flu, when you use their toothbrush.
If you find yourself with a new, intimate partner and no toothbrush, you might assume using their toothbrush is about the same as kissing them, germ-wise, but this isn’t really so.
When you kiss, you primarily trade saliva. When you use someone else’s toothbrush, you’re introducing millions of germs and bacteria onto your teeth and under your gums.
Toothbrushes provide a moist environment, which lends itself to the colonization of bacteria, germs, fungi, and viruses. The average toothbrush can harbor millions of microorganisms. And, the older the toothbrush, the more bacteria it can hold.
Toothbrushes may even become contaminated from toilet plume, which might play a role in transmitting infectious diseases.
One
Here are some other teeth-cleaning options to consider when you don’t have a toothbrush.
To avoid the situation altogether, try keeping a portable toothbrush or dental wipes with you when you travel or go on a date. Hotels and motels often have complimentary toothbrushes and floss you can keep.
Finger brushing is not effective enough to make it a viable alternative to using a toothbrush.
Finger brushing is, however, preferable to using someone else’s toothbrush.
Finger brushing can be done on occasion, without sacrificing oral health. However, it should not become a routine go-to that’s used in place of brushing with a toothbrush.
Last medically reviewed on February 11, 2021
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
Current Version
Feb 11, 2021
Written By
Corey Whelan
Edited By
Willow Banks
Medically Reviewed By
Debra Sullivan, PhD, MSN, RN, CNE, COI
Copy Edited By
Douglas Backstrom
Share this article
OUR BRANDS
Book Your Appontment with Our Dental Team Now: Call: +97444147405