According to new research, carried out as part of National Smile Month, 9.7% of people (almost one in ten) admitted that they have shared a toothbrush with someone else in the past; and 11% said that they would consider doing it if they needed to.
Over 2,000 people were questioned as part of the initiative and it revealed that oral hygiene practices in the UK leave a lot to be desired; one in five said they had used their finger to brush their teeth at some stage, whilst a shocking two out of five people asked admitted that they had only rinsed out their mouth with water instead of brushing their teeth.
Chief Executive of the British Dental Health Foundation, Dr Nigel Carter OBE, said that this kind of habit can lead to all kinds of problems, with dental and general health. He explained that brushing can cause the gums to bleed, so sharing a tooth brush exposes whoever else uses it to blood stream disease ‘which is a lot more risky than just sharing saliva.’
He added that the bacteria and viruses found in the human mouth can be passed on through sharing a toothbrush, such as the common cold, cold sores, or more serious conditions like hepatitis B or HIV. According to Dr Carter, people should be looking after their dental health by swapping their toothbrush once every three months to avoid problems with their teeth, he went on to say that ‘To spend £8 a year for four toothbrushes is nothing compared to losing a day off work and spending large amounts of money on preventable dental work.’