I am kind of appalled that the article and a lot of people in the comments seem to take the Bidet as an _alternative_ to toilet paper.

That is absolutely not the case in countries like Italy and Portugal. You simply use _both_. Washing yourself with soap and water after you wiped with toilet paper is unquestionably another level of hygiene.

It is also shocking that the article makes very little difference between a toilet seat with water jet and an actual bidet.

In Italy having a bidet is required by law.