A bidet is a fixture in a bathroom that uses a spray of water to rinse you off after you’ve used the restroom. For a long time, bidets were commonplace in the toilets of many homes in Europe, South America, and Asia.
There has been a recent uptick in the bidet’s popularity in the US due to assertions that they are better for the environment and personal hygiene.
You will probably need less toilet paper if you use a bidet; that much is true. However, the assertion that it is more hygienic than a flush toilet may not be as straightforward as it first seems. To find out whether bidets are more sanitary than toilet paper, let’s examine what is known about them.
What The Science Says About The Health Risks Of Bidets
The main worry with bidet use is the possibility of germs and virus organisms in the device’s nozzle. Two hundred fifty-four out of two hundred ninety-two bidet toilets at a Japanese university hospital tested positive for bacteria, viruses, and other microorganisms in 2017.
Of course, just because a bidet contains germs in its nozzle doesn’t mean you’re certain to become sick. Nonetheless, the prospect exists.
People who have vaginas may be more vulnerable to the health risks associated with bidding. In a healthy vagina, a bacterial community known as Lactobacillus thrives. These microbes serve as a defense mechanism for your vagina, protecting it from dangerous diseases like bacterial vaginosis.
Regular use of bidet toilets may disturb beneficial vaginal microbiota, according to a 2010 research of 268 women. Among those who use bidets, 42.86 percent did not have normal microflora (Lactobacillus spp.), compared to 8.77 percent of those who did not. Also, out of 268 women, 46 used bidets, whereas just four didn’t, suggesting a correlation between the two groups.
Using a bidet should be carefully considered if you are pregnant. Pregnant women classified as “high-risk” who made frequent bidet usage were more likely to deliver before their due dates, according to a 2019 research.
There isn’t enough evidence from just a few research to draw any firm conclusions on the cleanliness of