Realised baby's toothbrush is mouldy, horrified!

[EvelynSalt]

I've spotted tonight that my toddler's toothbrush had black mouldy spots between the bristles and I feel like a terrible mother. I don't know when it developed because I just noticed it...so it could have just happened or I simply haven't noticed. Obviously binned it straight away.

Do I need to speak to a doctor or am I overreacting? My daughter seems ok, but could she have any kind of long term issues from exposure to mould?

I'm gutted about this.

She will be fine. These things happen. I gave my dd a bottle of curdled milk once, she has never touched milk since and she is 26 now!

Although these moments are horrible at the time you will look back on them and laugh.

Various kids I know have survived:

Eating rice which had been in the fridge for weeks
Eating cat/dog food
Eating sand
Licking windows/railings
Eating random berries off bushes

Try to see it as part of building a healthy immune system 😂

(Obviously seek medical advice if she starts vomiting)

Thank you both for cheering me up a bit! I'm sure this is the first of many gross incidents that will crop up. I just feel so guilty about it. Having nightmarish thoughts about it having been that way for weeks...

Don't suppose anyone has any idea of any symptoms to look out for? She had a tummy bug last week so was vomiting but that definitely came from nursery as it did the rounds.

I drove passed a child licking the button you press at traffic lights the other day.
Baby will be fine

kids in our family have put worms in their mouths. Honestly it will be ok.

you clearly a wonderful mum and have nothing to worry about

My DD literally ate her own shit as a toddler ( I hadn't realised she could get her nappy off) and suffered no ill effects, so while not ideal a little mild won't do any long term harm.

Just remembered the same daughter ate a snail in the garden once!

Immune strengthening, no?!

My little one had mould inside her 360 cup, god knows how long she’d been drinking it like that. Horrible! She was ok though, I’m sure yours will be.

My toddler ate some mould off the cat flap a few weeks ago (genuinely thought it was clean and he must’ve dug right into the bottom of where it locks. He usually just shouts hello out of it). I over panicked and called 111 for advice.

They weren’t concerned at all and just said to watch out for any breathing difficulties or vomiting. They mentioned he’d have to have eaten lots for there to actually be a problem so your little one should be absolutely fine!

I noticed my kids water bottle had mould in the straw today 🤯

I found mould in my breast pump once. I felt horrendous. It was inside one tiny fiddly bit that I didn't realise you could remove when cleaning :(
Baby OK, thank God.

I noticed similar in my girls air ups today despite being rinsed daily & dishwasher every 2/3 nights. According to airup, the straws are recommended to be cleaned with a brush similar to one used to clean baby bottle teets.