Bidet? What's That?

  Most people are not familiar with bidets. Bidet (bee-day) is a French word difficult to pronounce. But according to the American Heritage English Dictionary, a bidet is “a basin-like fixture used for personal hygiene.”  

Until recently, the bidet was common only for people with Latin origins; 97% of Italian bathrooms have them. (This is really not surprising. The Romans had better water and sewage systems 2000 years ago than many countries have now.)

Today, the bidet concept is widely spread. Europe and Latin America as well as Middle Eastern countries are keen to using these devices, and in Japan more than 70% of homes contain them.

America is one of the few “bidet-less” societies in the Western World. For some reason, a stigma has accompanied bidet use for many years, and people remain skeptical. However, this is changing, and the reason is “globalization.”

More Americans are traveling overseas or virtually on the Net. They’ve seen bidets in Europe, Japan, and elsewhere and are no longer intimidated by a splash of water. People recognize the natural health benefits of bidets over regular toilet paper. This is especially important for people who are elderly or have physical challenges.

Recent surveys show that 50% of Americans over age 0 have some kind of hemorrhoids; almost 20% have chronic urinary-tract infections (UTIs), cystitis, or vaginitis; and 40% or more of senior citizens need direct assistance for bathing and toilet issues. The market for bidets is growing.

Bidet-mate's Mini-Bidet System is  easy to install on most standard toilets. No special plumbing is required, and because the unit attaches to the existing toilet it doesn’t take up valuable floor space.

Many physicians, gynecologists, and obstetricians recommend bidet use worldwide. It can be an inexpensive and comfortable way to perform personal hygiene; for some people, it may be a medical necessity.  

AE says the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) fully covers the Mini-Bidet System. Check with the Occupational Therapy or Prosthetics department at your local VA medical center.

Bidet use is a very comfortable way to perform personal hygiene. note: the toilet seat is down when in use.

This article is excerpted from the article appearing in the December 2000 issue of Paraplegia News. ©2000 Paralyzed Veterans of America. May not be reprinted without permission.