Doctor says everyone is making toilet mistake that could be bad for your health

A dermatologist has quite literally lifted the lid on an accepted toilet mistake we all continue to make.

We all have our own toilet routine and quite often when we go and take a s**t there's not much of a thought process going on.

Sit down, take a dump, wipe, wash hands (very important) and that's pretty much it.

However, it would seem that even our bathroom has some rules to it - ranging from how you hang your toilet roll to even how many times you wipe after doing a number two.

But according to Dr Scott Walter (@denverskindoc) - who practices at The Hill Center for Dermatology in Colorado, US - he suggests taking replacing the wiping step and adding something a lot more beneficial to your health.

Taking to TikTok, he asked for his followers to 'hear him out' even if they 'think it's awkward or gross to talk about'.

In his video, he goes over the benefits of using a bidet instead of just toilet paper, adding: "To put it simply, would you ever consider cleaning your dirty hands with a dry paper towel?

"Exactly, that's what we're doing when we're using toilet paper. It's a dirty area and we're using a dry paper to clean.

"Now, in addition to being more environmentally friendly, which I think is great, bidets actually have proven health benefits, so let's get into those."

Dr Walter continued: "Number one, they offer enhanced hygiene. They clean the skin better and leave less bacteria behind.

"And as a dermatologist, they're much kinder to the skin down there and provide much less irritation compared to toilet paper.

"This is great for people already prone to issues down there, such as rashes, fissures or even haemorrhoids.

"And last, they've actually been shown to decrease the incidence of UTIs (Urinary tract infections) in women due to less bacterial transfer.

"I got my first one a few years ago and it's hard to imagine now life without.

"And the good news is they're affordable. So even if you just want to try them out, it's not a big investment.

"Just think about all the money you're going to save on toilet paper."

People were quick to issue their response in the comments below.

Writing in the comments, one person agreed: "#teambidet forever! I can’t believe I ever didn’t have one. Under $40 for the basic model and not tough to install."

Though, a second viewer wondered: "I don't get how it's good for the environment. You get wet from it, how do you dry up?"

To which Dr Walter clarified: "Some have built in air dryers. But still use maybe a tenth of the normal tp (toilet paper) if drying with that."

So there you have it. Forget the wiping and welcome the spraying.