SputnikHQ wrote:Is it UVa or UVb?...I am also gonna use this baby as a mini tanning booth
Vegas

I was that small once - then I had two children........

TheWhistleGoesWooWoo wrote:What is this Alien technology? Does it really work? Any studies on this that anyone wants to share?

Thanxxx

UV light is only really effective against airborne pathogens. The bacteria in between the bristles will most probably not be in to much trouble from this.

shadowknight125 wrote:One Biology Nerd's opinion, these things are fairly pointless. Your entire GI tract (including your mouth) is loaded from stem to stern with bacteria called your "natural flora". This bacteria is mostly harmless (see Hitchhiker's Guide entry on Earth) and, in fact, prevent harmful bacteria from finding a place to settle down. Brushing your teeth can actually add natural flora to your bod. Unless your toothbrush falls on the floor (toss it) you don't have to worry about the microbes on your bristles. Besides, most brush bristles are plastic (i.e. not conducive to bacterial growth) and get rinse twice a day with H2O and toothpaste which tends to contain small amounts of soap (one of the reasons not to swallow).

Ok I'm sorry but I could let that go. As a PhD student in microbiology thats not quite the issue here. I agree completely that the germs in your mouth are NOT the problem.

The problem is people who keep tooth-brushes next to their toilets and flush with the lid up. That stuff sprays all over the place.

Now I'm not sure you need a UV light source, but it WILL kill many germs and viruses by cross-linking the DNA. But an easier route is to just keep your brush sanitary by not storing it near the toilet. Or put it in a case and clean it weekly.

So its not that this thing is "pointless" it works fine (and a "biology nerd" would know that UV light does kill bacteria). The problem is this doesn't really get to the real root of the problem of improper care of your tooth-brush in the first place.

tc1uscg wrote:It get's 99.9% of those buggers. However, it's the .1% that can kill you. Dip it in bleach, rinse, then use. Kill 100% instead.

the internet...

thaskaman wrote:if everyone lives in a germ-free environment, that will inturn weaken your immune system

tell that to my gf!
she takes tylenol all the times when she doesnt feel well!
and she always take medicine (example: NyQuil)when you has the flu!

sdc100 wrote:We have this. Three problems:

1) Batteries don't last long

2) No holes for excess water to evaporate. That means a damp toothbrush stays damp, and may get moldy.

3) Can't use for most electric toothbrush heads

1) It doesn't need to be on continuously.

2) 2 seconds with my favorite tiny drill bit would solve this. Or you can leave it open for a few minutes until the brush is mostly dry and THEN kill the remaining germs.

3) can't hep the shape

Simply having your toothbrush enclosed in a covered box is a good idea. That keeps it away from airborne particles in a bathroom, particulary those that get airborne during a toilet flush.

kde2723 wrote:Ok I'm sorry but I could let that go. As a PhD student in microbiology thats not quite the issue here. I agree completely that the germs in your mouth are NOT the problem.

The problem is people who keep tooth-brushes next to their toilets and flush with the lid up. That stuff sprays all over the place.

Now I'm not sure you need a UV light source, but it WILL kill many germs and viruses by cross-linking the DNA. But an easier route is to just keep your brush sanitary by not storing it near the toilet. Or put it in a case and clean it weekly.

So its not that this thing is "pointless" it works fine (and a "biology nerd" would know that UV light does kill bacteria). The problem is this doesn't really get to the real root of the problem of improper care of your tooth-brush in the first place.

At least it is in a closed case next to the toilet. That is a little better.

won't someone think of the poor microbes!

Wow this thing kills 99.9% of H1N1 virus. Rest assured that if H1N1 gets all the way to my bathroom and ends up on my tooth brush then I'm already sick.

This is called CAPITALIZING ON YOUR FEARS!

I just got back from the dentist for my routine, biannual visit. Having seen this Woot! this morning, I just had to ask his opinion on the value of these things.

He gave me one of those "isn't that nice" looks and said, "I don't have one. Just brush your teeth."

Besides, as it has been brought up many times before, only the tiniest fraction of "germs" are bad. The rest are helping us out by, at least, keeping the bad ones at bay.


DF

Interesting. That .01% left is probably going to be some pretty nasty, resilient stuff. But it's still probably better than whatever is growing on there by just sitting out overnight. I suppose you should leave it out to dry, then about 10 minutes before you're planning on brushing put it in the UV. I'm not sure how to get around the batteries failing all the time. I guess get rechargables?

Try closing the lid before flushing. Otherwise, go for the full restroom ultra violet light.

I mop my floors at least 3 times daily (5 times in the bathroom) with bleach. All of my door knobs/phones/handles get treated with chlorox wipes and spray. I've got purrell hand sanitizer everywhere (2 bottles, one to use to sanitize the cap of the other, then use the other to rub on hands). I've done countless flush diets to rid my digestive system of nasty bacteria.

yet i still get sick whenever i set foot outside the "safe zone" of my home. GRRR!

these toothbrushes may be the missing link, but how do you sanitize the interior of the case prior to sanitizing the toothbrush?

too bad these are shipped, since i don't accept delivered packages (who knows what i'd be bringing into my home).

off to work,
lights off, on, off, on, off...
door locked, unlocked, locked, unlocked, locked...

rdctali wrote:Fine, the UV will kill germs, but it also causes skin cancer.

Exactly. It also damages your eyes. The Chinese don't want that, so they send it over here.

So it keeps Ecoli, Swine Flu, and other germs from when I go to the toilet off of my toothbrush?!

Uh... If it's coming out of my ass, doesn't that mean I have it already? LOL

bduchouq wrote:Exactly. It also damages your eyes. The Chinese don't want that, so they send it over here.

I'm surprised the FDA allows this. Oh nevermind, they're the FDA.

jessiebyrd004 wrote:I doubt there will be any reviews to be found on this one, but the idea of keeping doody particles off my toothbrush (and, therefore, out of my mouth), I'm all for it.

I know, but I just have to ask. Unless you're cleaning the toilet with your toothbrush, how are you getting "doody" particles on it? This seems like a lot of crap (pun intended)to me.

rdctali wrote:Fine, the UV will kill germs, but it also causes skin cancer.

Remember: don't hold the toothbrush case up to your face for 7 minutes after brushing your teeth.
After 7 minutes, go right ahead!

sjlee11 wrote:I tell my patients not to waste their money on this type of crap. The Sonicare people have done a nice job marketing sanitizers like this, but you can kill bugs effectively in other ways: bleach, toothpaste, Listerine... or better yet, don't worry about it; the germs that got on the brush came from your own filthy mouth to begin with.

What about the nasty poop germs floating around in the bathroom? Not all germs are from your mouth!!

Costner wrote:The one and only review on Amazon was written to make it sound like this thing can cure cancer, and it turns out the guy who wrote it just happens to have the same last name as the owner of the company who markets these... oddly coincidental.

http://www.amazon.com/Zero-Germ-Light-Toothbrush-Sanitizer/dp/B002UU03XW

Honestly at what point does germaphobia just become a tad silly. Answer: when you are irradiating your toothbrush.

Did you ever see the show where 2 men do all types of testing within the home? They did germ tests in the bathroom. E Coli showed up close to the toilet and in the same large amounts as far away from the toilet as you can go.

Think of E Coli in your mouth and you might change your tune. You could save money and carry your toothbrush into the bathroom in a cheap plastic case.

This sounds good to me. In for 3 = 6 total.

In for three. I already use a different brand of toothbrush sanitizer but they do eventually wear out. I alternate toothbrushes & make sure the toothbrush going into the sanitizer is dry. There are a lot of germs in your bathroom, not just the ones from you own mouth. If you have a family chances are your are sharing your bathroom with someone who doesn't share the same hygiene practices that you do.

So even if this DOES kill all the coliform on your toothbrush, does it kill the coliform that gets into the cup you rinse with? The towel you dry off with? The Q-Tips you use to clean off your eye makeup?

The Mythbusters lady had it right. Even if there IS coliform in your bathroom - and evidently, in other rooms of your house - the amount you're putting in your mouth is inconsequential unless you're crapping on your toothbrush just before putting it in your mouth.

People who buy this are the same people who use a gallon of hand sanitizer every day. While you think you are keeping yourself safe, you are actually killing your immune system. Nevermind the fact that you are helping to create superbugs.

Thanks jerks

Great little travel pack... I bet the new airline security is going to love this thing in my carry on! In for 100!

ltomko wrote:UV sterilization works by disrupting the DNA and causing serious mutations that kill 99.9% of the virus and bacteria. The other 0.1% that survive may have mutations. Sticking the toothbrush back into your mouth sounds like an interesting science experiment. I think I will just dip my toothbrush into a glass of mouthwash.

Not a bad idea, I usually rinse mine with peroxide then rinse with warm water between usage 3 times daily. It can't hurt.

http://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Toothbrush

swars79 wrote:People who buy this are the same people who use a gallon of hand sanitizer every day. While you think you are keeping yourself safe, you are actually killing your immune system. Nevermind the fact that you are helping to create superbugs.

Thanks jerks

Keeping your toothbrush clean is not what creates superbugs. A reason for superbugs is over administration of antibiotics, unclean hospitals, gym mats and kids helmets for playing different sports for starters.

If you want feces and toilet bacterias on your toothbrush, go for it. I can only imagine what your home looks like.

Weve been making it just fine in the world with the tooth brushes we do have, I think Ill stick with mine. Dont plan on sharing it with anyone anytime soon.

shadowknight125 wrote:One Biology Nerd's opinion, these things are fairly pointless. Your entire GI tract (including your mouth) is loaded from stem to stern with bacteria called your "natural flora". This bacteria is mostly harmless (see Hitchhiker's Guide entry on Earth) and, in fact, prevent harmful bacteria from finding a place to settle down. Brushing your teeth can actually add natural flora to your bod. Unless your toothbrush falls on the floor (toss it) you don't have to worry about the microbes on your bristles. Besides, most brush bristles are plastic (i.e. not conducive to bacterial growth) and get rinse twice a day with H2O and toothpaste which tends to contain small amounts of soap (one of the reasons not to swallow).

^ this

NonVenomous wrote:So it keeps Ecoli, Swine Flu, and other germs from when I go to the toilet off of my toothbrush?!

Uh... If it's coming out of my ass, doesn't that mean I have it already? LOL

Not necessarily. For people who don't live on their own (families, roommates, etc.), there may be other people using the bathroom as well. This means that said pathogens were not necessarily from you. . .

sjlee11 wrote:I tell my patients not to waste their money on this type of crap. The Sonicare people have done a nice job marketing sanitizers like this, but you can kill bugs effectively in other ways: bleach, toothpaste, Listerine... or better yet, don't worry about it; the germs that got on the brush came from your own filthy mouth to begin with.

Actually, I've heard a lot of germs on toothbrushes are from fecal matter. That's why you should always make sure the toilet lid is closed when you flush. Otherwise tiny water droplets can spray out and hit your toothbrush.

monniewolf wrote:Actually, I've heard a lot of germs on toothbrushes are from fecal matter. That's why you should always make sure the toilet lid is closed when you flush. Otherwise tiny water droplets can spray out and hit your toothbrush.

Thats actually pretty true. Not necessarily fecal matter, but from the toilet. As when you flush the toilet, the water generally will throw little bits of water up to 6 feet.

dliidlii wrote:throw the toothbrush away and stick the UV in your mouth, kills bad breath and also works to make you sterile

You already can't get pregnant that way, so that's rather redundant.

shadowknight125 wrote: Unless your toothbrush falls on the floor (toss it) you don't have to worry about the microbes on your bristle.

I largely agree, but there is that whole aerosolization issue with toilet flushes.

It kills germs by utilizing radiation... Hell, I can get that for free with my Tokyo tapwater...

ltomko wrote:...I think I will just dip my toothbrush into a glass of mouthwash.

Finally, I've come across someone else who does this too! It takes me about a minute to floss. I figure that in that minute, the mouthwash has both sterilized my toothbrush as well as added some moisture to jumpstart my toothpaste foaming.

I really enjoy toothy discussions, but this one is getting a bit sterile. You all need to brush up on the root of the problems so you can fill the cavity of missing information.

Why not just dunk your toothbrush in listerine and save the clutter?

Myth Busters did a piece on germs and splatter getting on toothbrushes. I don't remember the outcome exactly. I believe there was no conclusive evidence that more harmful bacteria ended up on the exposed toothbrush. After seeing that episode I keep my toothbrush in a snap on cover now.I was amazed at just how far a particle of urine or fecal matter can travel.My GF tried getting me to sit down to pee after that. Really thou, unless you are scrubbing your taint with it, the germs we encounter are pretty harmless.

Shouldn't the UV bulb be mounted on the tooth brush to kill bacteria while you brush?