Inside Edition tested a number of different toothbrushes to see what bacteria and other critters might be lurking among the bristles.
Marisa Hunter is meticulous about keeping her teeth clean. After all, as a model, she has to make sure her pearly whites look perfect for the camera.
But while her teeth are spotless, what about her toothbrush? Inside Edition sent Hunter's and her fiance's toothbrushes off to a lab to get tested and see what bacteria and other critters might be lurking in the bristles.
Theirs weren't the only ones shipped off to the lab. Inside Edition also visited a woman named Shanna Marie to get her toothbrush. While there, we noticed she stores it next to the toilet.
"Do you think we are going to to find anything on your toothbrushes?" asked Inside Edition Chief Investigative Correspondent Lisa Guerrero.
"I hope not, but now I'm a little nervous because it's near the toilet, it's near the trash can," she replied. "I hope it doesn't matter."
Finally, we collected Lara Alcantara's toothbrush, along with those of her children.
"What do you think? Good or yucky?" asked Guerrero.
"Yucky," answered Alcantara's daughter Marcella.
So how dirty were those toothbrushes? As it turns out, pretty filthy.
"Oh boy, I have to tell you something, your toothbrush was loaded with bacteria," Guerrero told Hunter. "We found two different types of bacteria and even a yeast, which is a fungus."
"Oh my god," Hunter replied. "What about my fiance?"
"His was even worse," said Guerrero. "Your fiance had three different types of bacteria [on his], including E. coli."
"I don't think I want to kiss him after this report," said Hunter.
As for Marie, she learned the hard way that storing your toothbrush next to the toilet is a bad idea.
"Four types of bacteria, including E. coli," said Guerrero, showing her the results.
"No!" she answered. "Yuck!"
But it wasn't all bad news. Alcantara's family had perfectly clean toothbrushes.
"No bacteria on your toothbrushes, so whatever you three guys are doing, keep doing it because your toothbrushes are clean," said Guerrero.
"Hashtag good mom goals!" replied Alcantara.
What can you do to make sure your toothbrushes are as clean as her family's?
First, close the lid to the toilet before you flush so germs don't dispersed in the air. Also, make sure to let your toothbrush dry out before you put a cover on it so it doesn't become a breeding ground for microbes. Finally, get rid of your toothbrush every three months.
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