The western world has been cleaning their tushies with a piece of toilet paper since ever. On the other hand, all we desis need is a stream of water and we are done. And, this has been a topic of debate for ages.

However, now the health experts are claiming that washing your tushies are better than wiping!

When the global pandemic created a shortage of toilet paper across the world, a medical officer suggested everyone to switch to washing instead of wiping.

Dr Phillip Buffington, the chief medical officer of The Urology Group urged everyone to think about how a piece of dry toilet paper can leave stool and bacteria residue. And if someone is using a bidet, they are washing everything away.

Dr Allen Kamrava, a colorectal and general surgeon in California said that the people who use the bidet are much less likely to have issues with rashes, discomfort and irritation. 

Dr Evan Goldstein, a rectal surgeon in New York City also claimed that since people don’t gently wipe their bottoms with toilet paper, there’s a high chance for anus-related injuries. And, it can worsen due to harsh wiping. Also, toilet paper contains bleach which is not good for the skin.

Additionally, simply wiping your butts could leave faeces behind, which can later develop into different health conditions, infections and UTIs. For the vaginal area, washing is not only gentler and also requires less water than wiping. According to Scientific American, about 140 litres of water is required in order to make one roll of toilet paper.

Lastly, experts say that one should wash their hands with soap and water after cleaning their bottom with water.

So, what do you prefer – washing or wiping?