When you live in the same household with a person, you do a lot of things together. Whether you are siblings or spouses, sharing bathroom space may make you feel extremely close to loved ones. Some may even say they feel close enough to share toothbrushes — but don’t. Sharing toothbrushes can be unhealthy. The following are four reasons why you should not share a toothbrush.
Bacteria
There are hundreds of bacteria species in your mouth. Although most of these bacteria are typically found in the mouth, some people may have bacteria in their mouth from other places. By sharing a toothbrush with one such individual, you increase your chances of transferring their bacteria into your mouth. If your newly acquired bacteria are responsible for a cold, flu, virus, or other sickness, then it is very possible that you may become ill. You should avoid sharing toothbrushes to prevent visits to the doctor and dentist.
Bad Breath
The amount of bacteria in your mouth doubles every 20 minutes. Even if you don’t share a toothbrush, you still can’t brush enough throughout the day to remove the bacteria in your mouth. If you compound that problem by adding another person’s bacteria in your mouth, then you get more than an increased population of bacteria, you also have to fight off bad breath. Bacteria are the main reason people suffer from bad breath. When you share another person’s toothbrush, you increase your chances of developing bad breath throughout the day.
Bleeding Gums
There are millions of people who suffer, silently from bleeding gums. Instead of going to the dentist, they continue to brush their teeth because they may think it is normal. Blood is obviously a bodily fluid, and anyone sharing a toothbrush with someone who has bleeding gums, runs the risk of developing diseases and other conditions the other person has. You could even develop HIV/AIDs, since bacteria can live on toothbrushes for hours after use.
HSV Type 1
HSV Type 1 is an oral virus, commonly called herpes. This virus creates cold sores on a person’s lip. This condition, although not deadly, is highly contagious. Sometimes, individuals with the virus are contagious even though they don’t have a cold sore, which places you at risk if you decide to share a person’s toothbrush who has the condition. Additionally, the virus can live on a person’s toothbrush for up to a week, making it easier to expose yourself to the virus if you share a toothbrush with someone who has the virus.
Sharing a toothbrush could cause major problems for your oral health. Your best course of action is to use your own toothbrush since you completely eliminate the possibility of infecting yourself. If you share a toothbrush and develop an oral condition as a result of it, find the best dentist near you and get treatment. Whether you are facing bad breath or a case of HSV Type 1, they can help you manage the problem.
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