So you’re flying around with an electric toothbrush and wondering where to pack it.
Can you carry an electric toothbrush in my carry-on baggage? Or should I pack it in a check bag?
Let’s take a look.
TSA Electric Toothbrush Rules and Regulations
Airport Security Transportation Security Administration employees decide what is allowed and what is not allowed on the plane.
What they had to say about getting an electric toothbrush on an airplane was:
You can put an electric toothbrush in your carry-on baggage. That’s not what TSA is worried about. TSA is more interested in toothpaste than toothbrushes that need to be limited to 3.4 ounces.
In fact, the best place to store an electric toothbrush is carry-on baggage for three reasons.
First, your checked baggage may be lost or delayed. It’s rare, but it still happens.
Second, valuables are sometimes stolen from check bags. If you pack an expensive electric toothbrush into your checked baggage, you may never see it again. Keep your valuables in your baggage and keep an eye on them.
When Roland flew on Delta Air Lines, his electric toothbrush disappeared from this checked baggage.
Finally, there is a small risk that the lithium-ion battery in the electric toothbrush can fail and catch fire. It’s not a big risk, so you can pack an electric toothbrush with batteries in a check bag.
However, the electric toothbrush is small and is not difficult to carry in carry-on baggage. And if an electric toothbrush causes a fire in the cabin, someone will be there to put it out.
In general, the FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) prefers to use lithium batteries in carry-on baggage. For example, laptops are not prohibited from carrying checked baggage, but FAA suggests carrying it in carry-on baggage for security reasons.
Prior to, it was forbidden to carry all lithium-ion devices in checked baggage due to the danger of fire. Since then, the rules have been relaxed and just loose, spare batteries can no longer be placed in checked baggage, but why put these items at risk when not needed?
How to contact TSA about toothbrushes
If you still don’t know, you can contact TSA using Twitter’s @AskTSA service.
Rodney was worried about putting an electric toothbrush in his carry because he had a sharp head when he took it off.
However, TSA has confirmed that the electric toothbrush can be safely stored in carry-on baggage.
Since the lithium-ion battery is built into his toothbrush, they should have also informed Rodney that they are allowed in checked baggage. Only loose items without lithium-ion batteries can be placed in checked baggage.
The only danger is that the electric toothbrush can be mistaken for a vibrator.
I mentioned earlier that toothpaste is a liquid and should be placed in a container less than 3.4 ounces. But what about other tooth cleaning items?
Cassidy asked if he could take a titanium toothpick by plane.
This toothpick looks sharp, but TSA replied that it was allowed. I think it’s more accurate to say that TSA personnel rely on checking your bag for security.
Sara asked about bringing a dental floss pick.
And TSA has confirmed that it can be packed in carry-on baggage.
Tricia told Delta that her number one secret was to pack her toothbrush and underwear changes into her carry-on baggage.
So …
When American Airlines lost the luggage of these passengers, they weren’t even finished with toothbrushes.
Conclusion
If possible, put your electric toothbrush in your carry-on baggage to prevent it from being lost or stolen from your checked baggage. It is safe to have a lithium-ion battery on your toothbrush.
However, there are no rules about where to pack an electric toothbrush or toothbrush charger. Electric toothbrushes can be carried in carry-on or checked baggage.