All Questions
Tagged with hygiene medical-science
23 questions
10
votes
1
answer
858
views
Are antibacterial soaps better than plain soap and water?
“Consumers may think antibacterial washes are more effective at preventing the spread of germs, but we have no scientific evidence that they are any better than plain soap and water,” said Janet ...
- 1,546
7
votes
1
answer
6k
views
Is brushing your teeth after vomiting dangerous for your teeth?
There's a claim (Day9 / Centre for Clinical Interventions) out there that goes:
Don’t brush your teeth immediately after vomiting. While the teeth are covered in stomach acids, the vigorous action ...
- 472
14
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Was Ignaz Semmelweis ignored by the medical community when he advocated hand washing?
Daniel Engber writes in Who Will Debunk The Debunkers?:
Ignaz Semmelweis, the Hungarian physician who noticed in the 1840s that doctors were themselves the source of childbed fever in his hospital’s ...
- 34k
1
vote
1
answer
355
views
Can microbes live on surfaces with less than 10% humidity?
I've seen it claimed that bacteria or viruses can't live on surfaces when the humidity is less than 10%. But I can't find any credible source for this. The earliest source I can find is Popular ...
- 113
2
votes
1
answer
717
views
No Wipe Poo - Possible? [closed]
I read an article that says scientists have developed a pill that will make this possible, you take one pill with every meal and you'll no longer need to wipe after a bowel movement.
This new ...
- 131
17
votes
1
answer
679
views
Does a lack of hand-washing by health-care workers cause 100,000 deaths per year in the USA?
Tweet by PostSecret, with 203 retweets and 85 favorites:
100,000 deaths in the US alone could be avoided each year if health
care workers washed their hands more, according to the CDC.
Do 100,...
- 39.1k
9
votes
0
answers
244
views
Do students on paediatrics rotations get sick a lot?
From http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=605542:
3rd years get sick on peds alot.
Peds or EM during the winter months pretty much maximizes your odds of getting something.
Do students ...
user5582
14
votes
3
answers
8k
views
Does alcohol-free "essential oil" mouthwash kill bacteria in your mouth?
Case in point:
No other alcohol-free mouthwash has been proven more effective at
killing bad breath germs. Contains signature 4 Essential Oils found in
LISTERINE® Antiseptic for bad breath ...
- 1,154
68
votes
2
answers
17k
views
Do we need to brush our teeth?
While everyone is telling us that we should brush our teeth twice a day, the human species has evolved for several million years without any teeth brushing. Apes don't brush their teeth, and they don'...
- 33.4k
14
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Does the miswak help with digestion, eyesight, headache, memory or illness?
The miswak is a traditional Middle-Eastern toothbrush (so to speak) make from a twig of a particular branch, that is claimed to be especially effective. The dental efficacy has been studied, but ...
- 243
24
votes
1
answer
18k
views
Do I need to wash my hands after using the bathroom?
Source
Is hand-washing after urination and defecation merely a product of social norms, or is there a health-related reason that we wash our hands after going to the bathroom? Or is there some other ...
- 459
6
votes
1
answer
33k
views
Does "Thieves oil" kill bacteria and boost the immune system?
Thieves essential oil is supposed to help keep you from getting sick by killing germs.
Packed with powerful, germ-killing essential oils, the Thieves line helps eliminate airborne bacteria and ...
- 251
18
votes
1
answer
17k
views
Does putting warm food in the refrigerator make it more likely to give you food poisoning than letting it cool off first and then refrigerating it?
My boss was arguing that this is true and that it's a well known fact amongst culinary professionals that you should never put hot food in the refrigerator (he used to be a baker and had restaurants ...
- 18.6k
8
votes
0
answers
2k
views
Coca-cola and open water swimming
I've heard it claimed that Coke helps prevent infections.
The Independent
Some open-water swimmers drink Coke after racing, both for the sugar
rush and because it is said to neutralise harmful ...
- 1,514
9
votes
0
answers
404
views
Is using saliva as a dive mask defogger dangerous?
When diving, you can use saliva or commercial defog to prevent your mask from fogging. However, according to WikiHow, bacteria in saliva are potentially harmful to your eyes.
Beware of using spit - ...
- 6,698
41
votes
2
answers
5k
views
Do hand sanitizers have a negative impact on the human immune system?
Related:
Which is more effective at removing germs, washing with soap and water or using hand sanitizers?
Does regular handwashing with antibacterial soap prevent disease?
I've run across some ...
- 21.8k
18
votes
3
answers
62k
views
Is vinegar & baking soda an effective agent for disinfecting bacteria and mold?
I've seen a lot of references on the Internet stating that vinegar mixed with baking soda is an effective way to disinfect mold, bacteria, etc. I'm skeptical that it has a significant effect because ...
- 18.1k
38
votes
3
answers
18k
views
Do we need to clean our ears (remove earwax)?
Last year, I read on a newspaper that a research found that we do not need, or should not, clean our ears as the earwax comes out naturally and sticking in cotton swabs can damage our ears.
Is my ...
- 491
8
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Do expensive electronic toothbrushes outperform cheaper models?
There are a variety of different electronic toothbrushes on the market. If you ignore features like a timer that tells you when you have brushed the planned time, is there a measurable difference in ...
- 34k
29
votes
1
answer
11k
views
Does wearing headphones for long periods increase dangerous bacteria in your ear?
I have heard this many times, sometimes worded as such:
Wearing headphones for just an hour will increase the bacteria in your ears by 700 times
I'm wondering, is this true and, if so, does it ...
- 393
69
votes
3
answers
8k
views
Is food still safe to eat within 5 seconds after being dropped on the floor (5 second rule)?
Today in the cafeteria my friend dropped a chicken wing on the floor and immediately picked it up and ate it. Afterward he claimed that the chicken wing was still safe to eat if it was consumed within ...
- 731
13
votes
1
answer
3k
views
Is it good to be germaphobic?
I have a friend (the same guy that believes calcium in water is bad for you) who is germaphobic. That is, he will avoid germs at any expense. For example, kitchen surfaces will be pristine, using some ...
- 11.9k
44
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Are many allergies caused by too much hygiene?
One hears it once in a while that many allergies are due to people overly concerned with hygiene. The rationale is that growing up in a near-sterile environment will leave your immune system confused ...
- 12.4k