Overview
UV sanitizing for toothbrushes has been around for several years now, and Violife seems to be trying to be the one-stop source for all of your needs. They have various collections of toothbrush accessories, as well as actual toothbrushes. They come in several different cute varieties, so there is sure to be one that entices you to buy it, as long as it does what it says and makes it so your toothbrush is cleaner.
The Claim
The main claim for Violight sanitizers is that they kill almost all of the germs that end up on your toothbrush using UV light. They put it at 99.9% of the germs, which is what most antibacterial products claim these days.
The Hype
The sale they have to make is that your toothbrush is exposed to plenty of germs, both from your mouth, and also from being kept in the bathroom, where germs seem to be ubiquitous due to all that goes on in there. They’ve done studies that show how far germs travel when the toilet is flushed, and it’s recommended to keep your toothbrush as far away from the toilet as possible. But this isn’t always possible in a small bathroom, making it more important to keep your toothbrush clean and ready for the next use.
The Cost
The prices vary by the model, and what sort of bells and whistles it has. The four-brush countertop model can be found for less than $40. Individual sanitizers like their Zapi line also run about $35. It seems a bit pricey for a bathroom accessory, but when you consider that they’re trying to make a UV light that disinfects your toothbrush, you wouldn’t want to bargain shop too much or you’ll just be buying a cheap light with no UV function at all.
The Commitment
This is mostly a hands-off product for you, replacing your current toothbrush
Evaluation
The main crux to the argument of getting a Violight sanitizer is that it’s keeping your toothbrush free of germs. If it’s not doing that then it’s simply an overpriced toothbrush holder. Considering that unless you take your toothbrush to a lab to see whether or not it has less germs on it than normal, you won’t really know if it’s working or not. Much of it rests on the placebo effect, and if you believe it’s doing something it might actually help you get sick less.
The critics of devices like this point out that the UV light doesn’t have enough power to keep the area surrounding the toothbrush free from germs. Although UV lights are used to purify water to make it potable, these are very strong industrial models, and the belief by many is that when transferred to a smaller size it loses something in the effectiveness.
Violight is getting our Thumbs Down rating, based on the feedback that it’s received, with several users stating that it breaks down after using it for a short period of time, and many making strong claims that it doesn’t do the job of keeping things sanitized. At this price you’d want to be totally sure that it’s doing what it says it can do, and since this isn’t the case it doesn’t really make sense to drop the money on it.
One of the most convincing displays that it’s not really helping to keep your toothbrush clean is that the inside of the unit can become dirty and grimy, and some users have said they’ve even found mold growing in it, right by the lamp. It’s also interesting to note that out of the positive reviews, it’s unclear what the users are basing their positive feedback on, whether it’s that the device has been operational for them, or whether they have some sort of proof that it’s working to keep things disinfected.
One user claims that their
dental visits have been better, but that isn’t a claim made by Violife, so it’s not clear why they think that the device would have led to better dental visits. The main benefit should be peace of mind knowing that you’re not putting a brush into your mouth that is infected with E. coli or some other germ usually found in bathrooms. A simple toothbrush cover might also protect your brush from having these airborne particles land on your toothbrush. You can also try storing your toothbrush in the medicine cabinet, or in another room altogether.Our Recommendation
While it’s nice to think that UV sanitizing would work, it’s hard to get around the idea that the UV technology could be produced and sold at this price point and still be effective. What we’ve seen is pretty convincing that it doesn’t work as well as it claims it does. It might still be good to have if you believe it will work, and it does protect your brush from simply being left out in the open.
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View Comments
Lois W says:October 29, 2020
I have owned a violight ToothBrush sanitizer several years.
I feel they do work sanitizing my toothbrush. One I feel that I have less colds by not reinfecting myself. I just knowing my toothbrush is being sanitized after every time it's been used.
I have two of these bathroom devices and two of the travel case devices. I have owned them since April of 2017. In the past ten days the top of the travel case cracked in half and the battery powered unit stopped working all together. Bad timing that both demonstrated their shortcomings at the same time. Pretty unlikely that I will be buying any more of since both types of unit only lasted a year and two months before failing.
I was so surprise when I found this post about Violife UV sanitizer. Honestly, i had mine for over a year, bulb still working and I am super happy with it. i really suffer from Gingivitis, I didn't know what to do, I floss, which helps, try to brush them as often as I can but still bleeding sometimes. When I started using this sanitizer I noticed they were bleeding less and less that's why I said I am pretty happy with it and surprised about your thumbs down.
I don't know whose saying these units break down after short usage. We had ours 9 years before we had to replace the UV light. And with the new bulb it's still going strong. I have other UV sanitizers and am convinced these work. The housing the brushes are kept in are fairly well covered preventing most airborne germs from contaminating the tooth brushes. I would recommend this product.
It would be nice to have a sanitizer but Peroxide works just fine and its inexpensive
I came across this website because I was searching for a replacement Violight travel toothbrush holder. I travel extensively and have used one for the past 3 years. Prior to that I used simple plastic travel holders, but my toothbrush would get all kinds of nasty mold from being trapped in continual damp conditions. Violight is the only UV toothbrush holder I've ever tried, but it worked perfectly. I haven't had a spot of mold in 3 years. About once a month a take some tissue paper and wipe the interior down, but that's all the maintenace I've ever done, besides replacing the batteries, which last a long time. The only reason I'm looking for a replacement is because I dropped mine last week and broke the cover.
I can't speak to the Violight's 99.9% germ fighting claim, but I can tell you that it keeps my toothbrush cleaner than anything else I tried before.
My family & I have been using a violife violight for years. It was one of the original products, that fits 4 toothbrushes/ toothbrush heads. I can honestly tell you that my husband & son, who have always suffered w/ canker sores, no longer do so. This is the only thing that had/ has changed in our home to make such a difference. When I originally purchased the violight, my husband thought it a waste of money. Not for a second did he truly believe in it, so no placebo effect for him. After a few months, he mentioned to me that he was no longer suffering w/ canker sores. The same held true for our son. I hadn't ever considered that this item would help in that regard. We continue to use the same violight, to this day. The incidence of canker sores in their mouths has dropped, drastically. On the rare occasions that they do have canker sores, they are minor, & no longer painful, like they used to be. In addition to this, although all of our toothbrushes are in the same violight, when someone gets a cold, virus, etc., it is rare that we pass it on from one to another. I do know that if we were using a regular, 4 toothbrush holder, this would not be the case. I can honestly tell you, it has made a difference in our home.
UV sanitizing has been around for a while now and I don't think the validity of its effectiveness is longer in question, so the real question is which brands make the good ones and which brands make the bad ones. Obviously violight is a piece of lol but that doesn't change the fact that I need one that works properly and I also need a traveling UV sanitizer. More research then.
I agree, Melinda82, that there really needs to be more work done one these types of sanitizers for toothbrushes. I read a report several years ago that comes back to haunt me occasionally, that reported on measurements taken on air quality in bathrooms - specifically, the spread of droplets when the toilet flushes. Basically, the report said, "If you store your toothbrush within six feet of your toilet, you are brushing your teeth with toilet water." Yikes. (I think researchers may have an uphill battle with these types of inventioins, though, because people can't "see" the germs before and after they're killed.)
Oh no! That's so gross! I'm glad I keep my toothbrush in the closet then. You make a good point, Rebecca, that people don't usually get grossed out about germs they can't see, because they don't even know they're there a lot of the time. It doesn't mean it's okay, though.
I would definitely be interested in a product that disinfects my toothbrush, especially after learning that statistic, but for this price and not great reviews, this particular one doesn't seem worth it. It's better to invest a little more money in something that actually works than some money in something that's useless.
I currently keep my toothbrush in a travel toothbrush holder, but I can't close it all the way, or it doesn't dry out and stays moist, which would make it begin to grow yucky things. It would be nice to have a sanitizer that protects it from germs while keeping it dry. Too bad this one doesn't work.