3 Reason to Never Share Your Toothbrush Posted on 5/10/2017 by Sundberg Office Has this ever happened to you? You and your partner go out of town for the weekend and you forget your toothbrush. You still want to brush your teeth, so you borrow theirs. Or perhaps your child has decided to imitate you and has put your toothbrush in their own mouth. While these situations may not seem like such a big deal, in reality they really are. For your oral health, and the oral health of your loved one, your toothbrushes are something that should never, ever be shared.
Your Oral Bacteria is Unique
Your oral bacteria are your own, and is different from everyone else, including your own child. By sharing your toothbrush, you are introducing foreign oral bacteria into your mouth (just as your partner or child is doing to their own mouth). You could be putting yourself at greater risk for developing tooth decay and cavities. If you are suffering from gum disease, which can cause bleeding gums, you are putting yourself at serious risk for introducing foreign bacteria into your bloodstream, which could lead to serious health complications. Share Illnesses Not only could sharing a toothbrush affect your oral health, it can also affect your overall health. If you or your partner is sick, whether it’s a minor cold or the flu, you are sharing your germs with one another. This puts the other person at risk for suffering with the same illness. Even a thorough rinse under hot water will not effectively kill these germs. It is best that each person has their own brush. When your sickness is over, simply throw out your own toothbrush and start a new one. Faster Deterioration Toothbrushes should be replaced, on average, every three months. This is taking into account twice daily brushing. If both you and your partner (or child) are using the same brush constantly, it is essentially being used four times a day, which then causes it to wear out faster. This means that if you are hanging onto it even for usually recommended three months, your toothbrush will be nowhere as effective as it should be. They say sharing is caring, but in the case of your toothbrush, not sharing is the most caring thing you can do. Make sure that everyone in your household has their own toothbrush and that they are the only ones who use it. Please contact our office if you have any questions about your toothbrush.