Many girls have seen such a scene in the public restroom: some “cleanliness” people never sit on the toilet because they feel that the toilet seat is unsanitary, but instead use various “show squatting postures” “.
Don’t let any inch of skin come into close contact with the toilet, so the next person will see urine and stains all over the toilet.
(Source: Internet)
In order to solve this embarrassing problem, some public places have begun to use toilet paper. But a new problem has come again. Some people just don’t clean it up after use. The used toilet paper is either dropped into the toilet and not flushed away, or half of it is stuck on the toilet seat, so the next one can solve the internal emergency friends cause a lot of trouble.
Image source: Zhanku Hailuo
First answer: No!
It is true that public toilets are not as clean and hygienic as their own toilets, not only because of the high traffic volume in public toilets, but also because most public toilets do not have lids, and even if there are, most people do not want to touch that A toilet seat that may have been contaminated by countless “little dirty hands”.
The consequence of this is that when the toilet is flushed, the water mist will carry Escherichia coli and Streptococcus in the feces scattered in every corner of the toilet, and a thin toilet paper will stop it at all. Not these bacteria scattered in the air.
(A foreign experiment, testing how many microorganisms will fly in the air when flushing without the toilet lid. Source: YouTube)
Also, there are two types of toilet paper packs: a portable bag and a box of extra pumps, and the latter is more common in public places. The exposed toilet paper, after absorbing the pathogen-laden water mist in the air, becomes a natural bacterial petri dish.
(Source: Internet)
This is because toilets are more humid than outside, and paper products are difficult to keep dry in a humid environment, where bacteria are more likely to multiply on the surface , when you smoke it, you will be exposed to more pathogenic microorganisms!
(Source: YouTube)
Many people are reluctant to touch the toilet seat of a public restroom because they feel they will contract diseases such as syphilis, gonorrhea and HPV.
Image source: Zhanku Hailuo
Vanderbilt University’s Center for Preventive Medicine, Dr. William Schaffer, points out, “Toilet is not an effective carrier of pathogens, and sitting on it will not contaminate infection at all. What”, the smooth surface of the toilet seat is not suitable for the growth and spread of germs, because the bacteria and viruses that leave the host are very fragile:
The pathogen of syphilis is called “Treponema pallidum”. This microorganism is difficult to survive outside the body, and it is particularly afraid of disinfectants, which can be eliminated by a simple wipe of ordinary disinfectant paper towels.
The pathogenic bacteria of gonorrhea is called “Neisseria gonorrhoeae”. It is also “delicate” and difficult to survive outside the body, so the possibility of syphilis and gonorrhea infection by sitting on the toilet is very low.
There are also cervical cancer, condyloma acuminatum, etc. caused by HPV (human papilloma virus). In order to pass the toilet infection, very strict conditions are required. First, there must be enough pathogens, and secondly, use There is a large skin and mucous membrane damage on the PP of the person. Finally, the immunity of the person should be low enough, and the three are indispensable.
Of course, that’s not to say there aren’t any bacteria on the toilet seat, just that these bacteria are common skin microbes. Such things are inherently present on the surface of the human body and therefore do not pose a risk.
(Source: Internet)
In real life, there are cases of sexually transmitted diseases caused by indirect contact with contaminated daily necessities. For example, in our country, there have been cases where young children touched their genitals after touching unclean toys. An example of infection with gonorrhea.
In foreign countries, there have also been cases where a girl did not wash her hands after cleaning a dirty toilet with toilet paper, and germs invaded her genitals through her hands and caused infection.
These are all caused by germ-laden hands touching the genitals, and toilets are not the direct culprit,there is no rigorous data to suggest that toilet seats can transmit STDs. The human skin is a natural protective barrier, and germs in the bathroom are difficult to infect us by touching the skin.
Image source: Zhanku Hailuo
This reminds us to use our own paper towels and paper pads as much as possible when using the public toilet, do not touch other sensitive parts of the body with your hands before washing your hands, and minimize direct contact with the toilet as much as possible. Furnishings inside.
Image source: Zhanku Hailuo
“Everyone for me, I for everyone”.
The unethical behavior of going to the toilet will not only bring inconvenience to others, but more importantly, it will lead to the breeding and spread of more germs.
It is recommended that you bring disinfectant tissue and a small disposable toilet seat with you, wipe it when you go to the bathroom, put on the toilet seat and sit on it, and remember to clean it up after use. This not only solves the “fear” of the toilet, but also reduces the spread of germs.
Image source: Zhanku Hailuo
Keep the toilet lid on when flushing to prevent splashes of water from spreading germs to every corner of the toilet. Finally, remember to wash your hands after the toilet, and do not touch other parts of the body with dirty hands.
Reviewer: Wang Wei| Deputy Chief Physician, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University
References:
[1] Chao Wu. Public toilets: to sit or not to sit? [N]. China Medical News, 2016-08-26(001).
[2] Can public toilets spread sexually transmitted diseases? [J]. Everyone Health, 2012(21):55.
[3] Li Zhe. Investigation and analysis of a case of young children infected with Neisseria gonorrhoeae [J]. Chinese Physician Journal, 2006(S1):367-368.
*The content of this article is for the popularization of health knowledge and cannot be used as a specific diagnosis and treatment suggestion, nor can it replace the face-to-face consultation of a licensed physician, and is for reference only.
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