how do you sterilize a toothbrush?

[neeleymartin]

could you use listerine? ds has had several colds, they are so unavoidable this time of year, but i trying what i can think of. tia.

[bubbaray]

I throw it out.

FWIW, when GI bugs hit, I use the freebie dentist toothbrushes and toss them out after the bug has passed.

[o_mom]

Dishwasher.

[neeleymartin]

toothbrushing is a battle with ds. he is 19mos old, and not a huge fan. we have about 6 that we let him choose from. makes the task a little more within his control, kwim? he has colds all winter long, and replacing these like new brushes would be a total waste in my mind. maybe i'm crazy, but perhaps this background should have been include in initial post. do you still think i should toss 'em?

[tmarie]

I'm lazy and tend to throw them out, but nurse recently told me the dishwasher is fine.

tmarie

[SnuggleBuggles]

Dishwasher with nothing else in it, right? I can only imagine the nastiness that would find it's way into my toothbrush if I ran them through there (particles of food). Yick. :)

I'd do Listerine but more likely I would toss them.

Beth

[elliput]

Toss them all in a pot of boiling water for about 5 minutes.

[zoestargrove]

Sonic care has a toothbrush sterilizer. I was part of the buzz agent group and had one mailed to me last year. They use ultraviolet rays to sterilize the brush heads.

But, my vote would be to boil in water or I bet you could use the medela micro sterilizing bags if you have any of those.

[MamaMolly]

Just a weird tidbit about boiling toothbrushes...back in the day my friends and I would boil a toothbrush and it makes them bendable. We'd pull the bristles out and bend them into cuff bracelets. It worked on the see through plastic ones like you get at the dentist's office. So maybe I'd put the brush into a mixing bowl and pour boiling water on it, but I don't think that I'd actually put it into a pot of boiling water on the stove. Unless you want to make a bracelet , of course :)

[Kyras mom]

I recently purchased one of these ultra violet toothbrush sanitizers. This one is battery operated. I use it in my daughter's bathroom. I bought it at Target for $29.99.

http://www.amazon.com/Zapi-UV-Toothbrush-Sanitizer-White/dp/B001J003R0/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=hpc&qid=1232257676&sr=8-1

[shawnandangel]

Throw it in the microwave for 10 seconds.

[Meatball Mommie]

I don't know if they still make this product anymore, but we have these tablets that are made by Aquafresh. You put the tablet in warm water and it fizzes like alka-seltzer. You leave the toothbrushes in there for like 5 min and they're sanitized. Also, we just buy the cheapy toothbrushes at the dollar store so we don't feel bad about tossing them.

[DrSally]

Dishwasher.

:yeahthat:

[KrisM]

I'd probably have fewer for him to choose from and toss them. Toothbrushes are usually easy to get for free or close to free with coupons, so we have a stockpile of them for this reason. sure, it's a waste to toss, but it's easier.

[Melaine]

Hydrogen Peroxide

[infomama]

Throw it out....

[Melaine]

I have also heard that it really helps for each person in the family to have their own toothpaste tube to avoid passing germs around.