The usual advice is to start a new toothbrush once the antibiotics have had a day or so to work, and before you finish the course.1Madison Family Dental Associates. Strep Throat and Your Toothbrush – What To Know It’s an inexpensive precaution rather than a guaranteed shield, because the bigger reasons strep comes back usually lie elsewhere.
The Best Time To Swap Your Toothbrush
The timing follows from when you stop shedding bacteria. Strep is typically no longer contagious 12 to 24 hours after starting the right antibiotic,2ColumbiaDoctors. What to Know About Strep Throat this Winter and some public health agencies put it at within 12 hours.3Public Health Agency. Streptococcal sore throat (strep throat)
Trusted sources give slightly different windows. MedlinePlus advises getting a new toothbrush after 2 or 3 days of antibiotics, but before finishing them,4MedlinePlus. Strep throat: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia because otherwise bacteria on the old brush could reinfect you once the medicine stops.5MedlinePlus. Strep throat: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia Many clinics use the simpler rule of replacing it after 24 hours of antibiotics.6Coastal Urgent Care. Overcoming the Challenge of Recurring Strep Throat Cleveland Clinic doctors say to replace it by the end of treatment at the latest.7Cleveland Clinic. Why You Keep Getting Strep Day 2 or 3 is the common sweet spot.
That’s also why buying and opening a new brush on diagnosis day isn’t ideal. You’d use it for a day while you’re still shedding bacteria, and its bristles can pick up the same germs the old brush carried. Waiting a day lets the antibiotic reduce what lands on the new brush. If you already swapped early, a second swap after 24 hours of antibiotics is reasonable.
Buy a spare brush when you pick up the prescription, and set a phone reminder for day 2 of antibiotics. When the reminder goes off, throw the old brush out rather than keeping it as a backup.
The rest of your mouth routine matters a little too. Squeeze toothpaste onto the brush without touching the tube tip to the bristles, especially while you’re still contagious. During the waiting days, let the old brush dry upright in open air instead of in a cover or travel case that traps moisture. Once you swap, put the old brush straight into the trash, not a drawer or a guest bathroom where someone else could pick it up.
If you realize you’re already on day 5, or past the end of the course, replace the brush right away. A late swap still removes a brush that may carry leftover bacteria. If you forgot entirely and feel fine, you don’t need to restart antibiotics or panic. Just switch brushes now and carry on as normal.
Can Strep Really Survive On A Toothbrush
Strep A, the bacteria behind strep throat, has been found on toothbrushes, tap handles, door handles, toys and fabrics.8PubMed Central. It’s not just droplets: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the modes of transmission of Group A Streptococcus It can survive on dry surfaces for up to six months in lab conditions.9PubMed Central. It’s not just droplets: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the modes of transmission of Group A Streptococcus Cleveland Clinic says it can live on surfaces for several days and that the toothbrush is a likely spot.10Cleveland Clinic. Why You Keep Getting Strep
Those lab survival times are maximums, not what happens on every bathroom brush. Live germs on a brush don’t automatically mean a new infection.
Toothbrushes also give germs a good home. Germs form a sticky film on bristles and heads after use.11Pediatric Dentistry. Microbial contamination of toothbrushes and their decontamination This film formed even on brushes sold as antibacterial.12Biofilms. Bacterial survival and biofilm formation on conventional and antibacterial toothbrushes Everyday brushes have grown gut and skin bacteria as well as strep,13Dental Press Journal of Orthodontics. Microbiological evaluation of bristles of frequently used toothbrushes and damp storage boosted some bacteria on brushes.14Annals of Medical Research. Evaluation of Bacterial Contamination of Miswak Toothbrushes in Different Storage Environments: An Experimental Study A brush that touches the sink, counter, or another brush can pick up germs from those surfaces too.
Does A New Toothbrush Actually Prevent Strep Coming Back
The evidence that brushes cause relapses is mixed. In one study of strep patients, toothbrushes and removable retainers that carried strep may have helped it linger in some cases where penicillin failed.15PubMed. Persistence of group A beta-hemolytic streptococci in toothbrushes and removable orthodontic appliances following treatment of pharyngotonsillitis But in another study of 54 patients and families, strep came back in about 35% of cases whether or not they followed hygiene steps like new toothbrushes and clean bedding.16PubMed. Recurrence rate of streptococcal pharyngitis related to hygienic measures One study of children with strep found no strep on any of their brushes, and only on one healthy child’s brush.17HealthDay. When Should You Change Your Toothbrush After Strep Throat? Doctors still recommend a new brush because it’s cheap and harmless, not because it’s proven. These studies are small and tend to follow patients who already had trouble clearing strep, so their results may not describe a typical case. Finding strep on a brush doesn’t prove it caused a second infection. The things most likely to prevent a repeat are finishing the full antibiotic course and keeping sick people’s items separate.
A return after a new brush doesn’t mean you did something wrong. See a doctor again rather than just replacing more brushes.
Retainers, mouthguards and aligners deserve attention too. Removable mouth devices held strep in one study. They can’t be thrown out cheaply, so clean them daily, let them dry in open air between uses, and ask your orthodontist how to disinfect your specific device.
Protecting The Rest Of The Household
Sharing toothbrushes carries a recognized risk of passing strep between people.18PubMed Central. It’s not just droplets: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the modes of transmission of Group A Streptococcus Storage matters too: dental devices stored closed and damp kept live mouth bacteria for 7 days, while those left in open air had none after 2 days.19PubMed Central. Long-term survival of salivary streptococci on dental devices made of ethylene vinyl acetate So let every brush air-dry upright, not in a closed cap or case.
In a shared bathroom, brush heads that touch can transfer bacteria, so store each brush in its own slot or holder with space between them. Upright storage lets water drain off the bristles, while a brush lying flat on a counter stays damp and touches surfaces. A wall-mounted holder with separate slots makes it easier for children to keep brushes apart.
Young children often grab the wrong brush, so give each child a distinct color or sticker. Remind kids not to share cups, forks, or water bottles during the illness.
Healthy family members don’t need to replace their brushes, because the concern is the sick person’s brush and anything it touched. If a healthy person’s brush was stored touching the sick person’s brush, replacing it is a reasonable precaution. If someone later develops symptoms and is diagnosed, they follow the same timing as the first patient.
Can You Clean A Toothbrush Instead Of Replacing It
Several household and dental methods reduce germs on brushes. In lab tests, soaking in full-strength white vinegar was among the most effective at killing several mouth bacteria.20PubMed Central. Effectiveness of Alternative Methods for Toothbrush Disinfection: An In Vitro Study Microwaving and UV sanitizers both reduced germs, with microwaving doing better in one comparison.21PubMed Central. Comparative evaluation of ultraviolet and microwave sanitization techniques for toothbrush decontamination A 0.2% chlorhexidine mouthwash soak reduced bacteria on used brushes,22PubMed Central. Evaluating sanitization of toothbrushes using ultra violet rays and 0.2% chlorhexidine solution: A comparative clinical study and plain mouthwash soaks with cetylpyridinium chloride cut one cavity germ by about 86%.23World Journal of Dentistry. Effectiveness of Antimicrobial Solutions on Streptococcus mutans in used Toothbrushes
Microwaving carries risks. Many brushes aren’t made for it and can melt or warp. Electric brushes and any metal parts must never go in. A cheap new brush avoids the risk entirely.
If you want to try a soak, rinse the brush well afterward under running water so you aren’t brushing with vinegar or leftover mouthwash. Use a clean cup for each soak and discard the liquid afterward. Lab results used set soak times, so a quick dip may not give the same reduction in germs.
These lab results have limits. Studies often use specific bacteria grown in a lab, so results on one germ may not apply to strep. A big drop in germs doesn’t mean zero germs, and no study showed that any cleaning method prevents a repeat strep infection. Chlorhexidine mouthwash is typically a prescription or dentist-recommended product, so most households don’t have it on hand. A new manual brush costs little and needs no guesswork, so replacing still wins after strep.
Brush type matters less than you’d think. Antibacterial brushes still grew the sticky germ film.24Biofilms. Bacterial survival and biofilm formation on conventional and antibacterial toothbrushes On electric toothbrushes, solid heads held fewer germs than hollow heads.25PubMed. Microbial Contamination of Power Toothbrushes: A Comparison of Solid-Head Versus Hollow-Head Designs Replace an electric brush head the same way you’d replace a manual brush. The handle doesn’t touch the mouth, so you generally replace only the head, which is cheaper than a whole new brush. Wipe the handle and base with a damp cloth, since they can pick up splashes and paste, and follow the maker’s cleaning instructions, as soaking the handle can damage the motor.
If Strep Keeps Coming Back
Most repeat infections have other causes. Stopping antibiotics early can leave bacteria behind, and strep spreads mainly person to person through droplets and contact.26PubMed Central. It’s not just droplets: a systematic review and meta-analysis of the modes of transmission of Group A Streptococcus So finish every dose and wash hands often.
Some people carry strep in their throats without feeling sick, and they can pass it to others in the household. Carriers may keep testing positive even when they have no symptoms, which can look like repeated infection in the family. A doctor decides whether a carrier needs treatment, since many carriers are not considered a high risk to themselves.
Not every sore throat after strep is strep, because viral infections are much more common and cause similar symptoms. A throat swab is the way to confirm strep, since symptoms alone can’t reliably separate it from a virus. Getting tested again avoids taking antibiotics you don’t need.
Go back to the doctor if a sore throat with fever returns within weeks of treatment, or if you’ve had several confirmed strep infections in a year. Ask whether household members should be tested, and ask about a different antibiotic if the first seemed not to work.
Once you’re well, dentists generally advise a new brush every 3 to 4 months. Replace it sooner if the bristles are frayed, since worn bristles clean teeth less well.