Why does a dentist recommend that families share a toothbrush?

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British dentist Jess Potter recommends that families share a toothbrush.“Did you know that you can share a toothbrush to save money? money?” – says Potter at the start of the video, which has already amassed hundreds of thousands of views on TikTok.

Important clarification: Sharing a toothbrush can cause a wide variety of health problems. Using someone else's toothbrush or giving them your own can expose your teeth, gums, and mouth to a host of nasty things that can lead to illness and infection.

Top reasons not to share a toothbrush:

• Toothbrushes contain many bacteria that can be transmitted when people share them. Streptococcus mutans, a harmful bacteria that causes infections and is the main cause of tooth decay, can be on other people's toothbrushes and cause serious illness.
• Toothbrushes carry not only bacteria, but also blood-borne diseases. This is because sometimes the gums bleed. And if the person you share your toothbrush with has hepatitis B or HIV, you can get infected.
• Gum disease is one of the most common oral infections and can be treated if detected early enough. Unfortunately, it is easily transmitted through shared toothbrushes. If left untreated, gingivitis can lead to serious health problems, including tooth loss, painful abscesses, and gum recession.
• Viruses, including herpes simplex type 1, are one example of toothbrush-borne diseases. There is a risk of contracting the papilloma virus, which can cause cancer of the mouth and esophagus.

If you find yourself accidentally using someone else's toothbrush, don't panic – rinse your mouth to get rid of any bacteria you may have picked up. If you feel unwell or have unusual symptoms after using someone else's toothbrush, contact your doctor and tell him about it.

This questionable advice is only offered by a dentist to electric toothbrush users — here where's the savings.
“I always recommend using an electric toothbrush, but I know that with everything that's going on financially now, you need to save money”, – said the dentist. Potter advised sharing one electric toothbrush with family members: “You can buy one handle and several brush heads. Each of you will get different brush heads and just switch between them.

Potter also advised against buying the most expensive electric toothbrush heads, as you can find cheaper and equally effective ones in any pharmacy.< /p> Follow us on Telegram