You cannot overemphasize the importance of oral hygiene. Whether traveling or at home, maintaining good oral hygiene is a must.
Most people are so accustomed to using electric brushes and can’t imagine traveling without one, and this begs the question: Can You Bring an Electric Toothbrush on a Plane?
Checking what you can and cannot bring while traveling is very vital. The last thing you want to happen to you while traveling is getting delayed by the TSA agent or having your item confiscated.
In this writing, we’ll answer all your questions about getting on a plane with an electric toothbrush.
Can You Bring an Electric Toothbrush on a Plane?
If you’re a vivid traveler, then you’ll know that the Transportation Security Administration, popularly known as TSA, sets the standard on things that are allowed or not on planes.
The TSA has several policies on different items, but for this writing, we’ll focus on what the TSA has to say about bringing an electric toothbrush on a plane.
The TSA doesn’t consider bringing an electric toothbrush harmful, so travelers who wish to get one can do so without worrying about anything.
Although the TSA doesn’t consider electric toothbrushes a potential threat, they pay more rigorous attention to traveling with your toothpaste. Shocking Right?
We’ll discuss traveling with toothpaste later, but for now, let’s focus on the TSA view on electric toothbrushes. TSA regulations allow passengers to carry toothbrushes into the plane, preferably in their carry-on luggage.
Most passengers often frown at the idea of carrying electric toothbrushes in their carry-on luggage, but here are a few reasons why TSA highly recommends that electric toothbrushes be kept on carry-on luggage:
First, carrying your electric toothbrush in your checked bag isn’t ideal because there are chances that your checked bag could get missing or delayed. Although it doesn’t occur frequently, it’s still a possibility.
Another reason for suggesting carry-on bags to convey electric toothbrushes is that valuables are usually stolen from checked bags.
The last thing you want to experience is discovering that you’ve lost your expensive toothbrush to theft. Valuable items are usually packed in carry-on bags so you can keep watch on them.
Lastly, electric toothbrushes contain a rechargeable lithium battery, which may ignite in cases of overheating. Although modern electric toothbrushes now come with an in-built battery, applying caution is still advisable.
TSA recommends keeping electric toothbrushes in a carry-on bag, but passengers must still obey or carry them in their checked baggage instead.
Can You Bring an Electric Toothbrush in Checked Luggage?
It’s not advisable to carry an electric toothbrush in your checked luggage because of the presence of lithium batteries. Regardless of this, passengers can still decide to go ahead and pack their electric toothbrushes in their checked baggage.
If you pack your electric toothbrush in your checked baggage, you must double-check to ensure the brush has no lithium-ion battery.
Suppose it’s one with a lithium battery, and you also have a spare battery. In that case, it’s best to pack it in your carry-on luggage since most airlines forbid unsecured extra lithium-ion batteries from checked baggage due to minor fire risk.
In cases where the electric toothbrush has an inbuilt lithium-ion battery, you can pack it in your checked luggage without any problem.
In summary, if you want to pack your electric toothbrush in your checked luggage, you should adhere to the following:
• Switch off the toothbrush.
• Remove the battery ( if it’s not inbuilt) and keep it safe in your carry-on bag.
• Put the electric toothbrush in a hard-sided case to avoid damage during the flight.
Can You Bring an Electric Toothbrush in Your Carry-On Luggage
Bringing your electric toothbrush in your carry-on luggage is expected when traveling. In addition, packaging your lithium-ion battery in your carry-on luggage is also advisable.
At the airport, airport security will ask you to place all electronic devices in a security tray, including your electric toothbrush. Then, after completing the check, you can put it back into your bag or its case, if any.
How to Pack an Electric Toothbrush in Your Carry-On Luggage When Traveling
If you need to pack your electric toothbrush when traveling, you must understand how to load the brush in your carry-on luggage.
The best way to pack an electric toothbrush in your carry-on luggage is to remove the brush head and place it in a clear quart-sized bag. Doing this would enable TSA agents to access the brush immediately without opening your bag.
TSA allows travelers to carry only one clear quart-sized bag in their carry-on, so if you wish to include your electric toothbrush among items to Carry along on your flight, ensure you pack it up with your carry-on bag.
If you pack up your carry-on with other items and can’t see a place to put your electric, you may need to pack it in your checked luggage.
Using a clear quart-sized bag to pack your toothbrush is essential because it protects it from external damage. It would help if you remembered to turn off your toothbrush and remove the battery to avoid accidents.
Can You Use Your Electric Toothbrush on a Plane?
If you’re traveling for long hours, possibly an overnight flight, you’ll need to brush your teeth before sleeping, which begs the question: Can you use an electric toothbrush on a plane?
The answer is yes if you’re wondering if you can use an electric toothbrush on a plane. You can bring in your electric toothbrush and use it on a plane, although you must follow specific rules.
Before using your electric toothbrush on a plane, you must be in mind that:
Toothbrushes are classified under personal care items; thus, you can use them during a flight but cannot keep them in the seat-back pocket in front of you.
Secondly, ensure the plane is cruising before using your toothbrush and that the seat belt signs are turned off.
You must always understand that while on a flight, you’ll have to drop some of your habits and know you’re not the only one traveling. For example, it would be best to do a quick brushing instead of the usual 6-minute you do at home to allow others to use the bathroom.
Do not forget to rinse the sink after brushing to enable the next person to use it comfortably without having to see your toothpaste and spit in the basin.
How To Make Sure Your Electric Toothbrush Doesn’t Get Damaged During a Flight?
It’s not new to hear about damaged or misplaced electric toothbrushes during flights. To avoid your electric toothbrush getting hurt, especially when kept in your checked luggage, here are a few tips to follow:
Firstly, you must purchase an electric toothbrush of top-notch quality. Most times, a higher-priced toothbrush is usually better because they come with features that help safeguard the brush.
Secondly, buying a case or cover for your toothbrush is advisable if it doesn’t come with any. A brush cover or case is a shield to prevent the brush from damage during flights.
Thirdly, if your electric toothbrush comes with a removable lithium-ion battery, endeavor to remove your electric brush’s battery before packing it up with other items.
Can You Bring Toothpaste On A Plane?
As stated earlier, the TSA is more concerned about bringing toothpaste on a plane than an electric toothbrush. Getting an electric toothbrush would also imply you’ll have to obtain toothpaste.
Well, according to the TSA rules of flying, toothpaste is considered a liquid, and as such, it must meet the vTSA rules for carrying the liquid on a plane. Therefore, you can only bring in liquid of up to 3.4 ounces (100 mL) in your carry-on luggage.
Bringing in toothpaste will count towards your liquid allowance, so bear this before traveling with a liquid. If you are using a prescribed electric toothpaste, you may be able to bring in more significant quantities, although it would have to undergo further screening by TSA agents.
Bear in mind that bringing in a larger tube of toothpaste containing only a tiny amount may lead to confiscation of the item by the TSA, as what counts is the size of the toothpaste tube and not the content inside.
When packing your toothpaste in your carry-on luggage, put it in a clear quart-sized bag.
Conclusion
There’s no issue with carrying an electric toothbrush with you on a plane. You can take it in your carry-on luggage or checked baggage, but it’s highly advisable to pack it in your carry-on luggage because of its lithium-ion battery. TSA is more concerned about carrying toothpaste than an electric toothbrush.