Why women should NOT masturbate with electric toothbrushes
Women should never use an electric toothbrush to masturbate, a gynaecologist has warned.
Tales of people pleasuring themselves with the vibrating gadgets are common online but one expert said it could lead to ‘lacerations or trauma’.
The ‘interesting new trend’ risks damaging the sensitive skin around the genitals and isn’t hygienic, she said.
Gynaecologist Anna Henderson said there is an ‘interesting new trend’ of women trying to use electric toothbrushes to masturbate but that neither end of the gadgets were suitable for the purpose (stock image)
Various warnings from medics suggest that anything not specifically designed to go in or on the vagina should not be put down there.
But this doesn’t seem to have stopped people trying to cure thrush with garlic or using parsley to try and control their periods.
Now, consultant gynaecologist Dr Anne Henderson, based on Harley Street, has told The Sun toothbrushes should always be kept above the neck.
INTERNET MISTAKES WOMAN’S TOOTHBRUSH FOR A SEX TOY
Facebook users in a group of coupon enthusiasts did a double take in September when one of their members posted photos of a toothbrush that looked like a sex toy.
The woman from Exeter, took to the Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK group to show off her new electric toothbrush, which she had bought on sale from Amazon.
However the video of the pink toothbrush buzzing in her hands left some doing a ‘double take’ as they thought she was demonstrating how to use a new sex toy.
The hilarious post, which was shared on Saturday, racked up 711 likes and 698 comments from both confused and entertained Facebook users.
The toothbrush came in a fleshy shade of pink which led Facebook users to do a double-take
One user said: ‘I didn’t think that was a toothbrush at first! Beautiful colour that isn’t it!’
Another added: ‘Glad I’m not the only one with a mind in the gutter’.
She described using toothbrushes to masturbate as an ‘interesting new trend’ and said: ‘I would have serious concerns about anyone using an electric toothbrush for anything other than cleaning their teeth.
‘The structure and shape of the toothbrush, regardless of which part is used, could potentially injure, lacerate or cause trauma to the delicate vulval area, particularly the clitoris, especially if one of the more aggressive cleaning heads is used.’
Women posting on anonymous forums on Reddit claim to have enjoyed the practise using both the brush end and the handle of the devices.
However, the handle is the wrong shape, according to Dr Henderson, and the teeth-cleaning end raises further issues of cleanliness and cross-contamination.
Dr Henderson instead recommends people stick to purpose-built sex toys, which can be bought for less than £5 online.
She added: ‘The whole issue is fraught with potential complications and should be avoided at all costs.’
A doctor in California earlier this year wrote on Twitter warding women off putting cloves of garlic into their vaginas to try and avoid yeast infections.
Dr Jen Gunter said the urban myth has no truth to it and could actually cause bacterial infections.
She said: ‘Bacteria from the soil can be pathogenic – bad for the body. That’s why we clean wounds.
‘If you actually happen to have an inflamed yeasty vagina that soil bacteria would be more likely to infect.’
And British women’s magazine Marie Claire had to retract an article suggesting women put parsley in their vagina to try and encourage menstruation.
The magazine apologised and said its piece was ‘misguided’ and New Jersey-based obstetrician Dr Sheila Newman branded the practice ‘irresponsible’.
She said: ‘That is not something that is recommended by gynaecologists.
‘There are only a few things that should go in your vagina and vegetables generally aren’t one of them.’
