Harvard University experts say which is better for your health, toilet paper or a bidet?

Q: I think I’m using the wrong toilet paper, or the toilet paper I’m using is too harsh on my skin. How should I clean myself after using the toilet?

Answer: Instead of cleaning toilet papertry using bidet.

The bidet is soft and hygienic. In fact, a 2022 study found that people who used bidets had far fewer bacteria on their hands than those who wiped them down.

Researchers asked 32 Japanese nursing students to wear clean medical gloves when using the toilet to defecate, and then inspected the gloves to see if there were any problems. bacteria They grew and the average number of people wiping with toilet paper afterward was almost 40,000 bacteria Different possible materials are attached to the gloves.Bacteria on gloves Nearly 10 times fewer bidet users.

The study was small and more rigorous research into the effects of bidet versus toilet paper use is needed.But as one of them #teambidetI’ve seen the difference they can make in the lives of my patients.

I always recommend them to my patients who have loose stools, as in irritable bowel syndrome, they find that constant cleaning makes their skin rough. Bidets are also great for those who have difficulty maintaining balance or coordination when wiping themselves again, especially those suffering from hemorrhoids, anal fissures, or recovering from postpartum.

Not only are bidets cheaper (think how much toilet paper your family uses each month), but they’re also better for the environment. While a bidet wastes an eighth of a gallon of water each time it’s used, toilet paper waste has plummeted. It takes about 1.5 pounds of wood and more than 6 gallons of water to produce one roll of toilet paper.

I get it, though: it can be hard to get over the weird feeling of trying something new in a field that doesn’t often try new things. But once you experience this level of newness, it becomes so intuitive that it’s hard to go back to just cleaning it.

There is a bit of a learning curve when it comes to adjusting the water pressure and reaching all corners. Unless you have a fancy bidet with a dryer, you’ll need to dry the area with toilet paper or a clean towel.

To start using a bidet, there’s no need to buy a whole new toilet.this toilet seat accessories They cost about $50. When making a purchasing decision, you’ll want to measure your toilet and consider the nearest retail store.

Can’t understand the concept of a bidet? You can still give your butt the tender loving care it deserves by investing in two or more layers of toilet paper.

Toilet paper sold in the United States is often made from trees from Canada’s boreal forests.Regarding the number of layers of each sheet: one layer is a single layer of fabric, and the two layers are two pieces glued together.

Proponents of single-ply paper argue that single-ply paper is better for the environment because it dissolves more easily and kills fewer trees. But monolayers are thinner and rougher on the skin, creating an especially thick clump when people are faced with monolayers.

A note about “disposable wipes”: I recommend them in certain situations, such as for people with hemorrhoids or for bowel prep for screening colonoscopies. But as luxurious as they are, they probably shouldn’t be flushed down the toilet and should instead be tossed in the trash.

Men often don’t wipe themselves at all after urinating. It may not be harmful to your health; there are no studies to prove this.

Girls and women often learn to wipe from front to back after urinating or having a bowel movement. The idea behind this is that women have shorter urethras (the tubes that lead to the bladder) than men, and wiping from back to front may give fecal bacteria a better chance of reaching the urethra, where they have to travel a short distance to cause urethritis. Urinary tract infection.

fold one urinary tract infection It doesn’t suggest to anyone that it’s just “improper cleaning”; this has a lot to do with urinary tract infections, and the entire area isn’t completely sterile. But wiping from the inside out is a risk factor worth mitigating.

Cleaning the delicate skin around the anus can be rough and abrasive. While it’s normal for everyone’s poop to be different, if you’re someone with loose stools, you may be wiping more frequently.

Friends, let me introduce you to the power of wiping: Don’t wipe, but gently wipe the excess onto a paper towel to avoid irritating your skin or aggravating those pesky hemorrhoids. Before flushing, close the toilet lid. You might be thinking that the next step is to tighten your pants and get out. But what about the toilet seat?

A 2012 study found bacteria Clostridium difficile During the cleaning process, the amount of diffusion when the lid is open is nearly 12 times greater than when the lid is down. Even if this is your bathroom at home, you probably don’t want aerosol particles from the toilet landing on your toothbrush.

What do I want my patients to know?

Now that you’ve handled the wipes, lids, and flush mechanism, wash your hands. I’m sorry to say it, but if you flush with your feet, like some people do in public bathrooms, you’re not immune: you still have germs on your hands.

Disease can be spread when: fecal pathogens They end up in our mouths, so it’s worth taking the extra 20 seconds to wash your hands properly.

*(c) Washington Post 2023

*Trisha Pasricha is a physician and journalist who writes the “Ask the Doctor” column for The Washington Post. She is a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.