Do you use smartphone in toilet? Avoid it or you could end up in the hospital, claims study

• Image Credit: Google

• Jun 30, 2023 | Dhupali Das

Covid-19 has made people realize the necessity of maintaining hygiene and cleanliness. Almost...

Digital Desk: Covid-19 has made people realize the necessity of maintaining hygiene and cleanliness. Almost everyone uses hand sanitiser and cleans their hands several times a day. But what if we tell you that even after all of your cleaning and hygiene practices, you are carrying millions of bacteria with you all day? Yes, you are, and these bacteria are on your smartphones. Notably, your smartphone might be one of the dirtiest things you carry, harbouring as many germs and bacteria as a toilet seat."

According to a NordVPN study, six out of ten people, particularly young people, carry their phones to the washroom while doing their thing. 61.6 percent of survey participants admitted checking their social media accounts, such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram while sitting on the toilet seat. As per the research, "A third (33.9%) stay in touch with current affairs while on the toilet, while a quarter (24.5%) use the time to take care of life admin by messaging or even calling their loved ones."

While smartphone addiction is a bad habit, it is even worse because it converts cellphones into breeding grounds for dangerous bacteria and pathogens. As people occupy themselves on toilet seats, bacteria and germs find their way onto the smartphone's surface through their hands. Eventually, using our smartphones consistently throughout the day can introduce these bacteria into our bodies through our mouths, eyes, and nose.

The report claims that bacteria can survive for up to 28 days on mobile phone screens. Dr. Hugh Hayden, an infection control specialist, told Yahoo Life UK in a report. "It's a well-known fact that smartphones can carry up to ten times more germs than toilet seats, and touchscreens have been dubbed the mosquito of the digital age' in terms of being vectors of infectious disease."

"When we touch shared surfaces and then use our smartphone screen, there is a risk of cross-contamination, and the phone itself becomes a source of infection," he added.

Significantly, toilet seats can host a variety of harmful germs, including Staphylococcus aureus. These pathogens can cause urinary tract infections, abdominal pain, diarrhea, infections, food poisoning, skin diseases such as abscesses, respiratory infections such as sinusitis, and other complications.

In conclusion, don't take your phone to the washroom. It's not just your phone that can become contaminated; you could also risk contaminating your earphones or other gadgets you carry with you in the washroom with harmful germs. It is therefore better to skip the fun and prioritize hygiene for health.