Dr. Mehmet Oz has a new show. I first met Dr. Oz on Oprah. Almost everything he says makes sense to me. He said recently the embryonic stem cell debate is going to be a moot point very soon because researchers are finding that adult stem cells show such promise and are more predictable than embryonic ones (that on a show with Michael J. Fox).
He launched his own syndicated show this week. He has body parts, human anatomy animation, no embarrassment zone Q&A, guest medical experts, and practical advice. This week my favorite tip was “Close the lid BEFORE flushing.” Did you know microscopic water particles (containing bacteria, fecal matter & urine) can splash as far as 20 feet during a flush? They examined someone’s toothbrush and found e coli on it! Eeewwww!
Check your local listings if you like this kind of stuff (and IF you have the stomach for it!)
I’ve read Dr. Oz advice and he answers questions on a diabetic web site. Very awesome.
I’ve always thought the whole “seat up/seat down” debate was silly, when it was obvious to me that the lid should be closed. This adds support to my position.
However, Mythbusters ran an experiment where they put toothbrushes at varying distances from a toilet, including one 50 feet away in a covered container, used and flushed the toilet many times over several days, and all the toothbrushes had about the same (small) amount of coliform bacteria. The level of contamination was not dangerous on any of the brushes, and are almost impossible to avoid in any situation. So I’m not sure if Dr. Oz was citing real, controlled data, or just spreading an urban legend.
Maybe if you opened a new brush each time…
He cited the Discovery Channel. You can see the video he showed on his show here.
The video didn’t make it clear when the aerosols were created. It is most likely at the bottom of the flush, as the water and waste fully leaves the trap. The resulting splash as the clean water refills the trap is probably what caused it.
That would mean it is mostly just clean water, and the waste is all gone by the time this happens. Not that I want to brush my teeth in the toilet bowl even after it fills with clean water, but it definitely reduces the risk. And I go back to the Mythbusters experiment where they didn’t find any more bacteria on toothbrushes next to the toilet than on those that were isolated. Bacteria on your toothbrush most likely come primarily from your mouth and the air.
Despite appearances, I’m not arguing that closing the lid on the toilet is not a good habit, but I just think it’s good to understand what the risks are and keep them in perspective.
Points well taken Daryl. I don’t think my home toilets splash much anyway. But one thing I have learned is not to lean over a public toilet when flushing it. One time I got splashed in the face. It was pretty gross!