Dentist Jess Potter took to TikTok to advise her audience to share a toothbrush with everyone else in their family If they would like to save some money.
According to her, many of her patients benefit from this and some of them have decided to follow her advice.
First of all, a crucial clarification needs to be made: Numerous health issues might result from sharing a toothbrush.
Using another person’s toothbrush can expose your teeth, gums, as well as the mouth as a whole to a variety of bacteria that might cause illness and infection.
When individuals share a toothbrush, they might spread a range of microorganisms that are present on toothbrushes.
Brushes can harbor the dangerous bacterium streptococcus mutans, which is the major cause of tooth decay and an infection that can lead to serious illness.
Furthermore, sharing a toothbrush increases the number of bacteria on it with each use, making it more likely that you may contract an infection.
Toothbrushes can spread blood-borne illnesses in addition to germs.
This occurs because some people’s gums bleed when they wash their teeth.
Therefore, any bacterium or virus in the mouth that was spread by the toothbrush has the potential to enter circulation.
Sharing a toothbrush while the gums are bleeding might potentially spread minor diseases and illnesses to the person that you are sharing it with, especially if they have hepatitis B or are HIV positive.
One of the most prevalent oral infections, gum disease may be treated if caught early enough.
Unfortunately, sharing toothbrushes makes it very easy to spread, and many people don’t know they have it until it is way too late.
If gingivitis is left untreated, it can result in tooth loss, uncomfortable abscesses, and receding gums, among other major health issues.
If you decide to use someone else’s toothbrush you also run the danger of contracting numerous illnesses. viruses, such as the herpes simplex type 1 virus and the esophageal and oral cancer-causing human papillomavirus (HPV).
Even if you can’t see them, food particles frequently stay lodged in the brush’s bristles as well. In addition to being unclean, trapped food particles serve as a haven for dangerous germs.
Sharing toothbrushes is never a good idea, to sum up.
Then why does Potter recommend using the same toothbrush with your family members?
@jesspotter_xx SHARING A TOOTHBRUSH IN 2023 IS FINE!!! #dentalhygienist #dentalhygiene #dentistry #dentaladvice #dentalhealth #oralhealth #oralhygiene #electrictoothbrush #oralb #dentaltips #dentaladvice #moneysaving #fy #fyp #foryou #foryoupage #viral
The expert explained that “I always recommend using an electric toothbrush, but I know right now with everything that’s happening financially – you also need to save money. You can just buy one handle and several heads. Each of you will get a head and switch between them. I have had many conversations with patients over the years who cannot afford multiple brushes. They just cannot afford it. So I thought that this would be a really awesome way to ‘share a toothbrush’ without actually doing it. Many patients liked the idea.”
Potter also went on to advise people to purchase cheaper electric toothbrushes or try to get them while on sale rather than investing in really pricy ones.
