Ask Marty: What do you think of ultraviolet toothbrush sanitizers?

Oct 4, 2009

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Q: What do you think of ultraviolet toothbrush sanitizers?

A: I think they are good to have, considering they don't cost much and have been shown to kill more than 99.9% of pathogenic bacteria that proliferate on your toothbrush every day. As we get into flu season, reducing the transmission of the flu virus is essential.

2009 10 01 15 56 12 877 Philips Sonicare

The Sonicare toothbrush. Image courtesy of Philips.

The kind of light produced by toothbrush sanitizers is ultraviolet light in the C band (UV-C), which lies between 100 and 280 nanometers. UV-C has proved effective in destroying bacteria, viruses, yeast, molds, and algae.

Unlike most liquid disinfectants (which would be dangerous to use, as they are harmful when ingested), ultraviolet C rays do not actually kill the germs. The mechanism of action at work here is called inactivation.

What that means is that the ultraviolet rays reach the heart of the organism (the DNA), where they cause immediate disruption of the cell's genetic information. This action interferes with the cell's ability to reproduce. A cell that cannot reproduce is unable to multiply within a host, therefore is rendered harmless, as it can no longer cause infection or sickness.

I use a Sonicare toothbrush (the UV-C) that has a UV light built into its holder. This makes it simple to disinfect the toothbrush head after every use, and it gives me added peace of mind that I'm not reintroducing potentially harmful bacteria into my mouth every time I brush. (For study references on the Sonicare UV-C, visit the Sonicare Web site.)

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The Violight personal/travel toothbrush sanitizer. Image courtesy of Violight.

For those that use manual toothbrushes, I suggest any of the Violight toothbrush sanitizers. They cost around $20 for the travel models and up to around $50 for the upscale countertop model.

The Violight countertop toothbrush sanitizer. Image courtesy of Violight.

Violight also manufactures UV countertop sanitizers for dentures, retainers, and sports mouthguards. Each Violight model projects concentrated UV-C light onto the toothbrush head, bristles, and handle for 10 minutes after use. According to the company, studies conducted by an independent microbiological laboratory and at the New York University College of Dentistry found that after 10 minutes of exposure to UV-C light, 99.9% of all pathogens are destroyed, including the H1N1 virus.

So, for about the same cost as an insurance co-payment for a visit to the doctor, UV toothbrush sanitizers are a healthy investment for anyone who brushes their teeth!

Martin Jablow, D.M.D., is a practicing dentist and a self-professed technophile who lectures and blogs on a variety of technologies used in dentistry (dentechblog.blogspot.com). If you have a technology question for Dr. Jablow, e-mail it to us at [email protected].