Of course, if you use a bidet that has any type of bacteria in the nozzle, it's not a guarantee that you'll develop an infection or a virus. However, it is possible. Bidet use may pose a particular health concern for people with vaginas.
Bidets offer women numerous hygiene benefits. During a menstrual cycle, women can use a bidet to quickly and thoroughly cleanse their genitals. Using the spray to wash outer genitals can help prevent infections, irritation, and inflammation.
Con #1: Bidets may pose health concern for people with vaginas. Although some benefits are clear, as noted, there are potential downsides, especially if you have a vagina. “Bidets may mess with the health ecosystem of bacteria called Lactobacillus microflora in your vagina,” Dr. Rea said.
Up to 43% of female bidet-users had altered vaginal microflora, with an increased risk of bacterial vaginitis. It was found that users with genital or anal discomfort prefer to use a bidet and there is a correlation with subjects having urological infections, vulvar pruritus and also hemorrhoids.
The bottom line. Because a UTI is caused by bacteria entering the urinary tract, getting thoroughly clean when you use the bathroom is an important step in preventing UTIs. A bidet is a safe, sanitary way to keep yourself clean and avoid contracting a painful UTI.
When it comes to benefits, bidets are a no-brainer. They're cleaner, gentler, and more eco-friendly than toilet paper. And wiping less means you'll be saving money on your shopping bill, as well.
Women and bidets
“The water from your bidet should flow front-to-back, just like wiping from front to back,” says Dr. Lee. “This helps keep any fecal matter out of the urethra and vagina.” Correct usage is important to avoid vaginal or urinary tract infections.
Europeans think it's unsanitary to use a restroom without a bidet. Conversely, many Americans think of bidets as unsanitary. There's a lack of information and knowledge around bidets and their use — and it's likely to remain that way for many years to come.
Once you find a setting that's comfortable for you, let the bidet spray somewhere between 30 seconds and a minute to get the job done. The control panels on an electric bidet might look more robust than your TV remote. Don't be afraid to experiment, but make sure you don't scald your butt with hot water.
If you are using the traditional bidet, you can dry using toilet paper or a towel. In most public toilets with bidets, towels are provided on a ring next to it. However, using a paper towel is a more hygienic and safe option.
Pat dry with toilet paper
Since you're already clean from your bidet, you won't need much toilet paper to do so–just enough to remove any excess water. Use a gentle pat-dry motion instead of a wipe to avoid any irritation. That's all there is to it.
This should correct the problem, but most people will not have to worry about this, and will experience a full clean in about 30 seconds. A few people will get a full clean in less time than that.
They make all the sense in the world - the bidet shooting a stream of water at our private bits to wash them after we relieve ourselves. But, like in the US and UK, bidets aren't commonly used here in Australia. We've never developed a culture of using them, instead opting for multi-ply toilet paper instead.
If you are using the bidet properly, and if your bidet is of high quality, you should not have to use toilet paper to wipe yourself clean. A high-quality bidet will clean your backside more thoroughly than any amount of wiping. However, you may want to use a small amount of toilet paper to dry yourself.
Nobody wants to pay to install a hot water connection to a toilet, and likewise during much of the year a spray of ambient temperature water could be an unpleasant shock to the nether parts.
Position Yourself at the Bidet
Position yourself to use the bidet by straddling the bowl. It's acceptable to sit on the rim of the bowl, but many users will squat or “hover” over the bidet.
Using your damp cloth and gentle cleanser, wipe down the seat top and bottom, the base, and all other components of your bidet seat. You don't necessarily need to clean underneath the base each time you give your bidet toilet seat a cleaning, but every once in a while it's a good idea.
A bidet is very beneficial during your menstrual cycle. A bidet is gentler on the skin than toilet paper and gets you cleaner. Think of the portable bidet as a mini shower every time you use it. Rather than using sheets of toilet paper, a portable bidet takes care of the mess at the push of a button.
You may straddle, sit, hover, or squat facing either direction — it really just depends on where you want the water jets to hit and how you're most comfortable. Some people find that straddling the bidet to face the nozzle gives the best control over jet settings and water temperature.
Most Italian public toilets don't have a toilet seat.
This has to do with maintenance. Since public toilets are often less than spotless, people often climb with their shoes on top of them, not to sit on a potentially dirty seat.
For anal cleaning, many Muslims keep a small vessel of water in their bathrooms, called a lota in South Asia. Alternatively, bidet spray nozzles and hoses are attached to the sides of the commodes. The lota, according to Islamic rules, is held with the right hand, while the left helps pass water over the anus.
Bidets have been common in France since the late 1600s, spread further into Western Europe during the 1700s, and eventually made their way to Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia. Today, around 80 percent of households in Japan have a toilet with a bidet function or attachment.
But there's no hard evidence, no peer-reviewed papers, and nothing that proves bidets actually reduce the amount of fecal matter on your bottom better than toilet paper alone, or make it any less germy, according to Dr. Swartzberg.
Bidets keep you and your hands cleaner
Washing your butt with water helps remove more fecal bacteria, potentially preventing you from spreading bacteria from your hands to your surroundings… or to other people.