Regardless of health, remember to replace your toothbrush every 3 months. WebMD agrees that you should replace your toothbrush after strep throat: Toss toothbrushes after illness. Throw away a brush you or anyone in your home used while sick.
It is possible to reinfect yourself with a bacterial illness. If, for example, you have strep and your toothbrush has been colonized by the strep bacteria, you can get strep again.
Flip Out Your Toothbrush if You Ever Have One of These Ailments. Strep throat is highly contagious, and most dentists recommend that after you have been on antibiotics for 24-48 hours, you get rid of your old toothbrush. It keeps you from putting those same germs back into your mouth, potentially getting you sick again ...
The literature for group A Streptococcus (GAS) growth on toothbrushes is limited, targeting children with recurrent infections. Some literature suggests that GAS can live on toothbrushes for an extended period of time, dependent on oral habits, 3 days on a rinsed toothbrush and up to 15 days on a non-rinsed toothbrush.
A person is no longer contagious after they have been on antibiotics for 24 hours. Throw away your toothbrush and get a new one after you have been on antibiotics for 24 hours and then again when you have completed the antibiotic regimen. You may want to consider a liquid or soft diet while your throat is sore.
Soak your toothbrush in the mouthwash for about 5 minutes, then rinse it thoroughly in hot water and let it dry. Another way to sanitize your toothbrush is to soak it in a cup of hydrogen peroxide for 5 minutes, and rinse thoroughly in hot water. You can also boil your toothbrush in hot water for 3 minutes.
Wash dishes, drinking glasses, knives, forks, and spoons in hot, soapy water. Keep sores and cuts clean because strep can get in your skin and cause problems, too. Strep throat fun, but after feeling sick for 2 or 3 days, most kids start getting back to normal.
Check your toothbrush for buildup, frayed bristles, or discoloration. If you see any of these, it's probably time to throw it out. You should also replace your toothbrush after you've been sick. This will help to prevent reinfection or passing the infection on to a member of your household.
People can get strep throat more than once. Having strep throat does not protect someone from getting it again in the future. While there is no vaccine to prevent strep throat, there are things people can do to protect themselves and others.
Avoid contact with anyone who has strep throat until they've been prescribed and on antibiotics for at least 24 hours. Don't share food, drinks, or eating utensils with others. Additionally, avoid sharing personal items, such as toothbrushes.
Strep throat can spread through direct contact, such as kissing or sharing utensils. You usually aren't contagious 48 hours after starting antibiotics. If you choose not to take antibiotics, you may be contagious for up to three weeks.
Have you ever wondered if you can get strep throat from not brushing your teeth or tooth infections? While this isn't true, it's still important to brush your teeth twice a day to prevent tooth decay and dental caries, commonly known as cavities.
Most cases of strep throat respond quickly to antibiotic therapy, but patients must finish the entire course of medication to avoid the bacteria from returning.
You can't get strep throat by performing oral sex on someone with strep throat. Consequently, strep throat usually affects younger people while oral gonorrhea usually affects adults.
You don't need to throw out your toothbrush and shouldn't try to disinfect it after you've been sick, but if you'd feel better doing so, there's no harm in getting a new one.
Should you replace your toothbrush after a cold sore? Yes, you should use a new toothbrush as soon as you notice a cold sore coming on and after you've recovered from the outbreak. This will help reduce the extent and severity and prevent reinfection.
Although boiling water can be a bit harsh on the plastic of your brush, it does a great job killing the bacteria that builds up over time. Boil a small pot of water on the stove and dip the head of your toothbrush in the rolling boil for at least three minutes to kill most germs.
Strep germs can linger for hours on surfaces.
Persons with strep throat should stay home from work, school, or day care until 12 hours or more after taking an antibiotic.
If you find it easier to swallow, or that the soreness is less severe, your strep infection should be clearing effectively. Furthermore, a decreased fever is another sign that strep is improving. You may notice that you feel cooler, or are no longer experiencing hot sweats or chills.
With a strep throat infection, the tissues inside the nose and the throat are swollen. Moist air can help soothe these tissues and give you relief. You can use a humidifier or have a nice steam shower to inhale moist air.
Toothbrushes can have germs on them even after rinsing that could raise the risk of infection, especially for people with immune suppression. After brushing, rinse your toothbrush with tap water until it is completely clean, let it air-dry, and store it in an upright position.