# Why change toothbrushes so regularly?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-change-toothbrushes-so-regularly/591951>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 8, 2011, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-change-toothbrushes-so-regularly/591951 "2011-08-08T15:52:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Baracus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@Baracus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baracus)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-change-toothbrushes-so-regularly/591951/21 "2011-08-10T13:17:00Z")

</div>

> [@constanze](#):
>
> Among laypeople, many do not distinguish between an influenza from virus and a normal cold from bacteria.

The vast majority of “normal colds” are caused by viruses, not bacteria.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Jeff\_Lichtman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jeff_lichtman/32/1531_2.png) [@Jeff\_Lichtman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jeff_Lichtman)\
**Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-change-toothbrushes-so-regularly/591951/22 "2011-08-10T17:17:51Z")

</div>

> [@constanze](#):
>
> Among laypeople, many do not distinguish between an influenza from virus and a normal cold from bacteria, because the effects can be similar in both. (The influenza can be more severe, yes.) But if you have to lie in bed for a week, stuffed nose, headache, fever, feeling rotten, until it’s over, people don’t much care if it’s the bacterial cold or the virus influenza, they just want to get it over with.

The huge majority of colds are caused by rhinoviruses, not bacteria.

Also, while it’s true that a lot of people don’t understand the difference between a cold and the flu, the symptoms of the flu are usually so severe that no one who has the disease would call it a cold. The symptoms of the flu are a cough, high fever, sore muscles and weakness, all with sudden onset. The flu usually doesn’t cause a stuffy nose or sneezing. Someone with a cold is usually able to function normally, while someone with the flu often can’t function at all for a few days.

> [@constanze](#):
>
> Equally proven however is that low levels of Vitamin C make you much more susceptible to colds, because your immune system needs Vitamin C to work.

Again, I challenge you to provide a citation.

> [@constanze](#):
>
> And no, I’ve stopped citing studies that are not believed anyway because they are in German or have been done by German doctors. Takes too much time for me to find them only to have them ignored anyway.

I can only say that this response speaks for itself.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-change-toothbrushes-so-regularly/591951.md?page=1)