# Sonicare brush head: Possible to clean after infection?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonicare-brush-head-possible-to-clean-after-infection/360845>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 15, 2006, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonicare-brush-head-possible-to-clean-after-infection/360845 "2006-06-15T19:11:25Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![rayray5884](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/57b2e6/32.png) [@rayray5884](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rayray5884)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonicare-brush-head-possible-to-clean-after-infection/360845/1 "2006-06-15T19:11:25Z")

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I just recently got over a bacterial infection of the tonsils. Everytime I have these problems the Dr. tells me to throw away my toothbrush. He assumes I’m using a cheap $3 brush when really I have a $15-20 head for my Sonicare.

Now I’m not really that strapped for cash and I could buy a new one, but couldn’t I just place the sucker in a bit of boiling water for a few minutes and kill anything and everything that could possibly be living on it?

What do you think? Let me know. Thanks in advance for your comments!

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**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonicare-brush-head-possible-to-clean-after-infection/360845/2 "2006-06-15T19:14:44Z")

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I don’t have a Sonicare, but when I think to, I pop the head off of the toothbrush and stick it in the silverware basket for a run through the dishwasher. I’m sure it’s not a true sterilization, but I don’t think much will survive the hot water and chlorine.

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**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\
**Post date:** [June 15, 2006, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonicare-brush-head-possible-to-clean-after-infection/360845/3 "2006-06-15T19:27:33Z")

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You can also sterilize the old fashioned way. Drop the head into boiling water. No guarantee that it won’t ruin something, though.

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**Author:** ![eveanyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a88e4f/32.png) [@eveanyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eveanyn)\
**Post date:** [June 16, 2006, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sonicare-brush-head-possible-to-clean-after-infection/360845/4 "2006-06-16T00:19:57Z")

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I periodically soak my Oral B toothbrush heads as well as my regular toothbrush in polident denture cleaner. I can’t quite remember where I learned that, but it may have been in the manual with the Oral B.