|
TOOTHBRUSH CONFIDENTIAL:
Re-defining a Health and Beauty Basic
A simple toothbrush is part of today's increasingly hygiene-conscious world. We take for granted what we now consider health and beauty basics, starting with 24/7 access to plenty of clean water, not to mention hot water, soap, toilet paper, shampoo, toothpaste, deodorant, and a dizzy-making array of personal care products and toiletries.
Does this mean that as modern people, we're clean as the proverbial whistle? The answer may surprise you.
THE BAD NEWS: YOU AND YOUR TOOTHBRUSH ARE OUTNUMBERED. REALLY OUTNUMBERED.
Microbes‚ bacteria, viruses, molds, fungi, yeasts‚ are everywhere. In fact, they're swarming all over your skin, your screen, your keyboard, your mouse, right now as you read this. You just had a lovely warm bath, or took a shower? Unless you've literally drenched yourself in hospital-grade disinfectant, and done the same to every inch of your environment, the bugs are still there, breeding exponentially, their numbers doubling and tripling well into the millions every few hours.
The news is not all bad. Some of these bugs are, in fact, necessary. For instance, "friendly flora" or bacteria live peacefully inside the human intestine. Without them, we could not digest our food. Other bacteria, such as those which live inside our mouths, cause tooth decay and gum disease is not so friendly.
What you may not realize is this: bacteria are highly mobile. This means, to put it delicately, that the bacteria which once inhabited your intestine travel daily to your bathroom bowl. If you keep your toothbrush in your bathroom, the bacteria migrate to the damp bristles of your toothbrush, which then goes into your mouth. The re-introduction of these bacteria, as well as the countless other microbes which may be airborne in your bathroom, are a common cause of colds, flu, tummy-trouble and other illnesses.
THE GOOD NEWS: STERIPOD IS HERE!
Improved technology means that humans can fight back more effectively against the billions of bugs which not only live all around us, but also live inside us. The STERIPOD is an innovative partner in modern dental health and overall wellness. The bright, plastic bubble-"helmet" clips easily around the head of the toothbrush, whether it's manual or electric. STERIPOD literally, physically shields the toothbrush bristles from teeming billions of pathogens and particulates which swirl in the air around your toothbrush.
And, once in place, STERIPOD sanitizes the toothbrush with an invisible vapor-shield of natural antiseptic. The key ingredient in this germ-killing vapor is Thymol, a non-toxic botanical ingredient derived from the herb Thyme, a refreshing member of the Mint family, no wonder it's often used in mouthwash products today.
BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO
Today's consciousness regarding health and wellness includes an emphasis on brushing and flossing twice a day, and visiting a dentist once or twice a year (or more) for professional cleaning and exam. The reason for this high-maintenance: yes, those bugs we were talking about earlier.
Bacteria are social creatures. They form communities, called colonies, and these colonies attack the enamel on our teeth and the living tissues of our gums. Because the human mouth is naturally dark, warm and moist‚ come to think of it, this description also fits most bathrooms, where bacteria also thrive‚ undisturbed bacterial colonies spell trouble.
We "disturb" bacterial colonies with our modern tools: toothbrush, floss, rubber-tip stimulator, water-jet devices. And, the more frequently and thoroughly we can break up the bacterial house-party going on inside our mouths, especially between teeth, the healthier our teeth and gums will be.
Of course, many of these displaced oral bacteria remain on the bristles of the toothbrush when we've finished brushing. And think about where else bacteria thrive: your bathroom bowl, for instance. Bacteria also are alive and well on a loved one's toothbrush which may be stored beside yours in the family toothbrush-holder. And, if you keep a toothbrush in your gym-bag, in your desk at work, in your locker or glove-compartment, well, you're basically brushing with bugs.
And a quick rinse under the tap won't kill them‚ they have survived many billions of years, and a little warm water doesn't scare them. Not even a little.
Bacteria fear STERIPOD! The clip-on STERIPOD continuously neutralizes oral bacteria and other micro-pathogens for about three months, making the toothbrush an even more effective tool in the quest for a cleaner, healthier mouth, and better overall immune-function and wellness.
STERIPOD: A NEW SOLUTION TO AN ANCIENT PROBLEM
Our current knowledge of bacteria and their role in disease is quite new, in terms of human history. But humans have been battling pathogens, starting in the mouth, for centuries.
Comparatively speaking, we have it easy today. As recently as the 1950s, toothbrush bristles were made of super-stiff nylon which inflamed the gums. But even that was progress. Prior to the late 1930s, when nylon bristles were first introduced to the American market, toothbrushes were made with horse, badger and hog-bristles. These rigid, brittle animal hairs (talk about unsanitary!) frequently pierced the gum, leaving the quill-like tips in the living tissue. The combination of abrasive, sharp bristles and the natural bacterial activity inside the mouth meant that pain, infection and tooth-loss were common.
The first known toothbrushes using animal bristles date from the 1400s in China, where the bristles of Siberian wild boars were attached to bamboo handles, the construction looked more like a paintbrush than a modern toothbrush. Prior to that, people attempted to clean their teeth with sharpened sticks, often soaking the points in essential oils which soothed and refreshed the mouth.
THE MODERN DEFINITION OF CLEAN
It may sound impossible, but prior to the 1940s, twice-daily tooth-brushing was not a widespread habit in America, and dentistry practice was often primitive. The United States Armed Forces issued toothbrushes to all American soldiers, and required them to brush daily as part of their overall fitness training. A generation earlier, during WWI, "trench-mouth", or ulcer-forming oral bacterial infection resulting from neglect, had been common among the enlisted men.
The returning G.I.s brought a new level of dental hygiene home to America. Massive tooth-loss by age 40 was no longer viewed as inevitable, and nylon-bristle toothbrushes were manufactured and sold wherever cash-registers could be found. Later innovations, including fluoridation of the water-supply and the introduction of dental floss, today make dental health more accessible, and more comfortable, than even our grandparents could have imagined.
Today, we even brush the teeth of our dogs and cats, as well as pay veterinary professionals to provide dental deep-cleaning for pets as needed.
BUT BACK TO THE TOOTHBRUSH BUGS:
One thing that hasn't changed, and isn't likely to change: bacteria love living inside your mouth. Advanced formulation in toothpastes and oral rinses, breakthroughs in dentistry techniques, flossing, water-jets and sugarless chewing gum are all good. STERIPOD: best of all, since it keeps your first line of defense, your toothbrush, protected and sanitized for greater health and wellness.
|
|
 |
|
now in-store at:  See More Retail Outlets >>
 grab a family pack!  |
|
