Consumer columnist and West Hartford resident Harlan Levy has more than 20 years of experience writing stories about everyday experiences that anyone could encounter.

By Harlan Levy

Before I get to my main topics – yellow gunk on my toothbrush charger, recalled cookies, and an online gambling warning – here are grocery prices for items highly vulnerable to the major Trump tariffs: mangos from South America and tomatoes from Canada. What’s weird is that prices haven’t noticeably spiked … yet.

• Big Y: Mangos: 2/$4. Tomatoes: $1.99/lb.
• Whole Foods: Mangos: $.2.49 each. Tomatoes: $3.69/lb.
• Trader Joe’s: Mangos (coming in Friday): $1.29 each. Tomatoes: $1.49 each.
• Stop & Shop: Mangos: $2/each.Tomatoes: $1.99/lb..

Toothbrush charger gunk

Every day when I take my electric toothbrush off its charger I find a ring of yellowish gunk on it. I always wash it off with hot water, never questioning what it is. Yesterday I decided to investigate and also discover if it’s a health risk. From my online search I found a lot of other people had the same question. Here’s what I learned:

The yellow gunk on electric toothbrush chargers is a biofilm composed of your mouth bacteria from your spit, mold, mildew, and accumulated toothpaste residue that trickles down from the inside of the toothbrush head that you haven’t been rinsing off regularly.

The humid environment of a bathroom creates the perfect breeding ground for microorganisms to thrive on your charging base. The gunk is a mixture of:

• Bacteria and mold: These microorganisms flourish in the damp conditions and are often present in the humid air.
• Hard water minerals: If you live in an area with hard water, mineral deposits (limescale) can mix with the other residue, creating a crusty ring.
• Toothpaste residue and saliva: After brushing, excess water,  saliva, and toothpaste run down the handle and collect at the bottom, where they dry and accumulate.

Potential health risks: Although the gunk may not be immediately harmful, its presence poses some risks:

• Poor oral hygiene: The biofilm on the charger can transfer to the handle of your toothbrush. This can lead to reintroducing germs and bacteria into your mouth during brushing.
• Risk of infection: If you have any cuts, sores, or compromised immunity, bacteria and mold spores could increase your risk of infection, although the American Dental Association says evidence for this is limited.

How to clean the charger: Regular cleaning can eliminate the gunk and prevent it from returning. After each use, rinse the entire toothbrush handle to remove any leftover toothpaste and saliva. Give the handle a quick wipe or a good shake to remove excess water before placing it back on the charger. You can also place a cotton round pad with a hole cut in the center over the charging port. This will absorb any drips.

To go overboard, you can unplug the charger, wipe down the charger and toothbrush handle with a cloth dampened with hot, soapy water or use a solution of half white vinegar and half water, and dry completely with a clean cloth before plugging the charger back in. You can also pour a little hydrogen peroxide on the charger. Leave it for 10 minutes, and then you can rinse the gunk off without scrubbing.

Rinse and drythe entire handle part before placing it back on that charger. If it’s wet at all underneath, you’ll get that buildup.

Online gambling

Ever since the NFL football season started two weeks ago TV ads for online football gambling have proliferated, with lots of celebrity endorsers. Unfortunately for gamblers it’s easy to lose your shirt, which is why the state Department of Consumer Protection‘s Gaming Division, the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, and the state Council on Problem Gambling announced the following information and advice:

• In Connecticut, the three gaming platforms licensed to offer sports wagering are Draft Kings (Foxwoods), FanDuel (Mohegan Sun), and Fanatics (Connecticut Lottery).
• You must be at least 21 to engage in online or in-person gaming or sports wagering. For fantasy contests, participants must be at least 18.
• Sports betting operators often make changes to house rules and policies between sports seasons. If you choose to wager, be sure to review the most up-to-date house rules for wagers placed on that platform.
• Use licensed platforms. Licensed operators are monitored to ensure transparency and accountability, creating secure and fair platforms for consumers to engage with.
• Set time limits: Players can restrict the number of hours they can use the platform, including time limits on a single betting session.
• Sports wagering apps offer money limits including daily, weekly, or monthly deposit limits. There are also single wager limits.
• Players are prohibited from allowing more than one user on their account. The account owner is responsible for all activities, charges, and damages that occur. It’s illegal to allow a minor to place wagers on your account.

“Create a game plan. Know your odds, understand the house rules for your preferred platform, and take advantage of setting time and money limits on your account,” DCP Commissioner Bryan Cafferelli said. “If you choose to engage with illegal offshore gaming sites, you put your money and personal information at risk.”

“Nearly 175,000 Connecticut residents are at risk of developing a problem with gambling,” said DMHAS Commissioner Nancy Navarretta.

Cookie recall

The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection Food and Standards Division (DCP) is warning the public that Gina Marie Bakery of Waterbury is recalling six flavors of cookies due to undeclared almonds, sesame and food dyes.

Customers who have allergies or severe sensitivities to nuts, sesame seeds, and/or food dyes run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reactions if they consume these products.

• Flavors included: Italian Mixed Vanilla Cookies (Undeclared Almonds, Sesame, Red 40, Red 3, and Blue 1).
• Italian Sesame Cookies (Undeclared Yellow 5, Red 40, Yellow 6).
• Vanilla Chocolate Dipped Cookies (Undeclared Red 40).
• Vanilla with Apricot Jam Cookies (Undeclared Red 40 and Yellow 6).
• Toasted Almond & Cherry Biscotti (Undeclared Red 40).
• Vanilla Cookies with Raspberry Peach Jam (Undeclared Red 3 and Blue 1).

Affected products can be identified through clamshell plastic containers, weighing 1 lb. (454g). The Italian Mixed Vanilla Cookies are also sold in 2 lb. clamshell containers, weighing (908g).

The cookies were distributed to Big Y stores (Connecticut and Springfield); Stop & Shop stores (Connecticut); Highland Park Markets (Glastonbury, Manchester and Farmington); Price Chopper (Newington, Bristol and Middletown); and many other stores outside our market.

The affected cookies were also sold at all Nardelli’s Connecticut stores with a Nardelli label affixed to the package.

Return the cookies to the place of purchase for a full refund.

Now you know.

NOTE: If you have a consumer problem, contact me at [email protected] (“Consumer” in subject line), and, with the power of the press, maybe I can help.

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