Hydrogen Water Compared to Chlorhexidine for Toothbrush Cleaning
Comparison of the Antimicrobial Effect of Hydrogen Water and Chlorhexidine Mouth rinse in Toothbrush Disinfection Among Dental Students
- Evidence type
- Controlled trial (non-randomized) · Human study
- Authors
- C. Vaishnavi, Gayathri P. Elangovan, Mohan Thirumal, S. Vaishnavi Prashanth, D. Deepika, T.G. Pragathi
- Journal
- Journal of Pharmacy and Bioallied Sciences
- Year
- 2025
- PMID
- 40511014
- Study Type
- Human
- Participants
- 30
- Delivery
- Water (Electrolysis)
- Dose
- Hydrogen water for toothbrush disinfection, 10 minutes per application, twice daily for 7 days
- Duration
- 1 weeks
- Conflicts of interest
- None declared
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Cited by
- 1 (OpenAlex, as of November 2026)
- Country
- India
TL;DR
Rinsing toothbrushes with hydrogen water might be more effective at killing germs than the commonly used disinfectant chlorhexidine.
Key Finding
Toothbrushes disinfected with hydrogen water had significantly fewer bacteria (measured as colony-forming units) compared to those disinfected with chlorhexidine mouthwash.
Summary
Researchers compared hydrogen water and chlorhexidine (a common antimicrobial mouthwash) for disinfecting toothbrushes. Thirty dental students used one of these solutions to soak their toothbrushes for 10 minutes daily over one week. When researchers counted bacteria on the bristles, they found fewer bacteria on brushes cleaned with hydrogen water than those cleaned with chlorhexidine.
Practical Takeaway
This small study in dental students suggests hydrogen water may be effective for disinfecting toothbrushes, potentially better than chlorhexidine. However, the study is limited by its small size (30 participants) and short duration, and it only tested toothbrush disinfection—not whether this translates to better oral health outcomes. More research is needed before hydrogen water can be recommended as a standard toothbrush disinfectant.
Abstract (excerpt)
Background: Toothbrushes are essential for eliminating dental biofilm and preventing caries and periodontal disease. Regular disinfecting is necessary to maintain a clean toothbrush. Chlorhexidine is the gold standard, but it may be resistant to periodontal pathogens. Hydrogen-rich water, due…