Sanitary toothbrush holder

Abstract

A toothbrush holder and sterilizer having a cylindrical body with an interior shoulder adjacent the upper end and a perforated bottom wall with an annular flange extending downwardly relative to the body. A fluid reservoir upstanding from the bottom wall, the reservoir being open at the top and having a plurality of annularly spaced openings spaced downwardly of the upper end of the reservoir. There is also an exterior shoulder adjacent the upper end of the reservoir in the same plane as the shoulder at the upper end of the body to support an annular disk having a plurality of spaced openings for reception of toothbrushes. A shallow cup is disposed on the flange on the bottom of the body for reception of condensed disinfectant or the like which will flow through the openings or perforations in the bottom wall. Any suitable disinfectant, antiseptic, germicide or the like in liquid form, is disposed in the reservoir and the fumes from the disinfectant pass upwardly and out of the upper end of the reservoir into the chamber where the bristled ends of the toothbrushes are disposed.

1 . The bacterial growth on the average toothbrush from general and personal contamination is an unnecessary health risk to any human being. According to Caudry S D, Kiltorinoes A. and Chan E C of the Department of Oral Biology, Facility of Dentistry, MC Gill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, “Twenty toothbrushes used by healthy subjects were screened for the presence of microorganisms. Microbes were dislodged from the brushes . . . Mycobacterium segments,  M. bovis  and  Streptococcus  mits . . . Soaking the toothbrush head in Listerine for twenty (20) minutes after brushing was sufficient to eliminate bacterial contamination.”
 In another test study by the Department of Oral Biology, Facility of Dentistry, MC Gill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, concluded “immersion of the toothbrush head in a solution of 0.12% chlorhexidine gluconate and 1% sodium hypochlorite are efficient methods for toothbrush disinfection.”   Various studies indicate that bacteria on toothbrushes could be a leading cause of various diseases. Even the mist that rises up out of the toilet bowl, for up to twenty feet upon each flush, could project  salmonella  and  E. coli  onto your toothbrush and that sanitizing your toothbrush maybe necessary.—Journal of Applie Oral Science; June 2004; ISSN 1678-7757; Vol 12 No. 2.   The new ‘Sanitary Toothbrush Holder’ as shown, described and designed by Dennis Beach Miller, is intended to prevent the spread of bacteria by soaking the used toothbrush between uses; any brand, type or style of manual, electric, or battery operated or oral cleaning device; in any common cleansing fluid normally used as a mouth rinse that contains ingredients in quantities and properties similar to those found in the product known as ‘Listerine’ sold over the counter and available to every household within the United States of America.   The ‘Sanitary Toothbrush Holder’ as shown and described is a single unit device that holds toothbrushes and or other oral cleaning devices of a single individual to prevent cross-contamination between one to another, whether located in the home, day care center, school, church, etc.   The ‘Sanitary Toothbrush Holder’ as shown and described has been designed out of all non-porous materials that will not sustain bacteria or allow the growth of bacteria to occur if contaminated from any source, external or internal.   The ‘Sanitary Toothbrush Holder’ as shown and described has a revolutionary flexible non-porous insert that aids in the loss of fluid evaporation and stabilization of the object stored within.   The depth of the ‘Sanitary Toothbrush Holder’ as shown and described allows for the handles of any stored objects to remain out of the :fluid, clean and dry for easy use and removal of any object.   The ‘Sanitary Toothbrush Holder’ as shown and described is designed with a unique pressure fit top, to aid in the elimination of the possible growth of bacteria in and around the opening. This also allows for simple operation in the opening and replacing of old fluid.   The ‘Sanitary Toothbrush Holder’ as shown and described has specially designed weighted base designed to act as a counter balance against larger or heavy oral cleaning devices being stored within to eliminate tipping or spilling of the contained fluid.   The ‘Sanitary Toothbrush Holder’ as shown and described has been designed with a unique, easy grip shape that allows a user to grasp a simple non-slip indentation that the average adult or child size hand can easily hold onto when wet, moist or dry.