Contaminated Toothbrushes and Potential COVID-19 Transmission: Concerns and Recommendations

 

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Abstract

Substantial past evidence has demonstrated microbial contamination of oral devices and possible transmission of viral diseases, drawing attention to habits related to using and storing toothbrushes. Since toothbrushes are in intimate contact with the oral cavity, the question arises as to whether they can transmit COVID-19.

An electronic search was performed in four databases to identify relevant literature about the possible contamination or transmission of SARS-CoV-2 through toothbrushes until May 2021. Forty-five records were retrieved, and after a thorough search, we found no articles reporting significant evidence. However, studies with other viral diseases have indicated that improper use and storage of toothbrushes could contribute to indirect disease transmission.

Therefore, this narrative review supports the implementation of toothbrush disinfection and storage measures to minimize the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection among cohabitants and community settings. Finally, recommendations and a suggested protocol to reduce the potential risk of transmission between cohabitants are provided.

Publication History

Article published online:
01 September 2021

© 2021. European Journal of General Dentistry. This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonDerivative-NonCommercial-License, permitting copying and reproduction so long as the original work is given appropriate credit. Contents may not be used for commercial purposes, or adapted, remixed, transformed or built upon. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

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