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SALT LAKE CITY -- Millions of them are massacred every single day and most people are thrilled about it. No one calls the authorities and no one sheds a tear. That is because the victims are bacteria.
Murdering microbes has become part of the daily routine. Sanitize the shopping cart. Disinfect the toys. Scrub the bacteria off the countertop, the table and the clothes.
The hard part to get across is that a little dirt is a good thing.
–Dr. Stuart Levy
Unfortunately, killing off all those germs may end up causing more harm than good. Is there such a thing as being too clean?
University of Michigan epidemiologist Allison Aiello says there sure is.
“It is possible that a person can be too clean for their own good,” she said in a recent study. “Living in very clean and hygienic environments may impact our exposure to micro-organisms that are beneficial for development of the immune system.”
Aiello researched antibacterial agents found in soap, toothpaste, trashcan liners, toys and baby products and discovered that people with higher exposure to these germ-killing products were also more likely to have allergies or hay fever.
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Dirty objects to dirty hands into kids' mouths
As parents of young children we soon discover our kids don't seem to be at all hesitant to touch, lick, and even eat the nastiest of things.Marc McMorris, a pediatric allergist at the University of Michigan, was not surprised by her findings.
“We’ve developed a cleaner lifestyle, and our bodies no longer need to fight germs as much as they did in the past,” McMorris said. “As a result, the immune system has shifted away from fighting infection to developing more allergic tendencies.”
When a body is not exposed to enough germs, its underused immune system gets bored and looks for something else to do. It begins to identify harmless substances like dust and dander as invading marauders, so it attacks them, leading to issues like allergies or asthma.
Being exposed to a variety of allergens may actually help the body learn to ignore them.
A German study found that children regularly exposed to farm animals and the myriad germs and bacteria hiding in their hides were much less likely to develop allergies or asthma. The same scientists touted dog and cat ownership — especially during childhood — as a help in fending off allergies.
But the dangers of being too clean don’t stop with sneezing and wheezing. Overuse of antibacterial agents like triclosan and bisphenol A, known as BPA, is partially to blame for creating superbugs. These bacteria have developed resistance and cannot easily be killed.
Little did I know that this cleanliness craze was going to get out of hand. We need bacteria. If we destroy them, we're going to destroy ourselves.
–Dr. Stuart Levy
Dr. Stuart Levy of Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston worries about the widespread overuse of antibacterial agents.
“Little did I know that this cleanliness craze was going to get out of hand,” he said at an American Society of Microbiology symposium. “We need bacteria. If we destroy them, we’re going to destroy ourselves.”
Similar to overusing antibiotics, Levy’s concern is that overuse of antibacterial products will kill off harmless weak bacteria, leaving only the strongest and most resistant strains behind to mutate and multiply. Attempting to de-germ the world may actually produce the opposite effect.
“The image that germs should be destroyed and kids should be raised in a sterile home is a mistake,” Levy said. “If we overclean and sterilize, children’s immune systems will not mature.”
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Top 5 dirtiest everyday objects
It is a fact of life -- germs are all around us. We came up with a "Top 5" list of dirtiest objects and places in everyday life -- and the results will have you reaching for the sanitizer.Human bodies are riddled with bacteria, most of them harmless and many of them helpful. Their presence leaves no room for more harmful invaders to take hold. Helpful bacteria that are carelessly evicted by exposure to antibacterial soaps leave space for more treacherous microbes to move in.
“The hard part to get across is that a little dirt is a good thing. You should wash after normal activities, where you come in contact with microbes and dirt, especially before you eat. But you don't have to clean every 5 to 10 minutes," Levy said.
The idea of happily living with every germ is difficult to endure. Casually inviting in every known bacterium is not a good option, but carelessly killing them all is not wise either. There has to be a balance.
Levy recommends using fast-acting nonresidues for cleaning: bleaches, peroxides, alcohols and traditional soap and water. He also suggests washing hands thoroughly for 15 to 30 seconds with plain soap and water.
Protecting families from harmful bacteria is a worthy quest. But washing every gentle germ down the drain is not a good way to do it.
Melissa DeMoux is a stay-at-home mother of six young children who lives in West Valley City, Utah. You can email her at mddemoux@gmail.com or follow her adventures in motherhood at demouxfamily.blogspot.com.
