HOW close is too close to be with your other half?
For this bloke, it’s sharing a toothbrush with his fiancee, but she doesn’t think it’s a big deal at all – so where do you draw the line?
Close up of a woman putting toothpaste on a toothbrush[/caption]
The man discovered his bride-to-be had been using his toothbrush[/caption]
Taking to Reddit, the anonymous man asked if people thought he was overreacting by being so disgusted by her bride-to-be using his toothbrush.
“I really want to know how everyone else feels about this,” he wrote.
“After brushing my teeth today, I was flossing and my fiancee came in the bathroom to brush her teeth.
“She grabbed my toothbrush and started brushing away. I let her know like hey that’s my toothbrush and she put it down, looks at me, shrugs, picks it back up and continues brushing her teeth.”
He then told her he thought it was “really gross” to share a toothbrush, but she didn’t get the hint and continued to use it.
“I’m really grossed out at this point and I ask her if she could just use her toothbrush that is literally sitting right next to where mine was, she doesn’t listen and continues on,” he added.
Things then went from bad to worse when she hit back at him for being “over dramatic” about the whole thing.
Not wanting to cause a bigger argument, the bloke was left with no choice but to “frantically clean” his toothbrush before using it himself.
After the incident, he was left with a bad taste in his mouth, so decided to confront his fiancee to see if she’d ever used his toothbrush before.
Much to his shock, she confessed she’d been using it “for some time now.”
“I’m crazy grossed out like I need a new toothbrush. I think it’s crazy that she didn’t listen when I said stop.
“But what’s crazier is I’ve had this conversation with her before on how I think it’s just gross and expressed how I would not like it just to find out she has been doing it for some time now.
“I have no idea why or to what benefit. We are now having an all night argument about it,” he said.
After sharing his issue on Reddit’s Am I Overreacting forum, people were quick to defend his response.
One said: “Not Overreacting. There’s a difference between even intense kissing and what a toothbrush does, even the healthiest gums will sometimes bleed when a person is brushing.
“The bigger issue here is that you had already discussed it with her in the past. Even worse, she disregarded you when you asked her to stop.
“If she can’t respect this very simple boundary while you’re engaged, will she respect other boundaries when you get married, or will she continue to disregard, disrespect, and belittle you?”
A second agreed sharing a toothbrush was a step too far, the y commented: “This is super gross! You are also stating a small simple boundary for her not to use your tooth brush.
“I think it’s normal to want someone not to use your tooth brush, so gross!”
Meanwhile a third had a different idea on how to deal with the problem: “Just tell her that’s the one you use to clean in the corners of the shower or toilet.”
“You need a secret toothbrush in your sock drawer for your use and a decoy in the bathroom for her,” another suggested.
Should you ever share a toothbrush?
Sharing is in fact, not caring, at least according to Dr Ben Atkins, Dentist and Trustee of the Oral Health Foundation.
“Sharing a toothbrush leaves you susceptible to all sorts of oral and general health problems,” he explained.
“Just because you kiss a partner or occasionally share a fork or spoon during mealtimes with them, does not justify using their toothbrush.
“This is because brushing sometimes causes the gums to bleed, which exposes everyone you share your toothbrush with to blood stream diseases.
“This means that by sharing a toothbrush, you could also be sharing blood, which is a lot riskier than just swapping saliva.”
Tips to help kids brush their teeth
Dr Khaled Kasem, Chief Orthodontist of Europe’s leading orthodontics chain Impress, tells Sun readers how to get their kids brushing their own teeth.
1. Find a time that’s right for you
“Children need consistency to learn anything, so make sure you set a routine,” Dr Kasem explained.
“Whether it’s immediately after breakfast or bath time or just before you tuck them into bed, make brushing a part of their normal schedule so they can get used to it.”
2. Keep it in the bathroom
“Try to make a habit of brushing in the bathroom, and make sure you’re doing the same,” he said.
“Children often model adult behaviour and if they see you brushing your teeth elsewhere, the likelihood is they’ll want to do the same.”
It’s also a good idea to brush your teeth at the same time, as it could make your child want to do it too.
3. Take your time and let them learn
Dr Eyrumlu said it’s important to let kids explore holding the toothbrush on their own.
“Angling it correctly to reach every tooth is tough. You want to have the brush at a 45 degree angle to the teeth,” he said.
Splitting the mouth into four sections can help kids get it right. The upper half on the left, the upper half on the right, the lower half on the left, and the lower half on the right.
4. Add an element of fun
“Try to make tooth brushing a fun activity rather than a chore, make them excited,” said Dr Kasem.
“Whether it’s making up a song or naming each tooth something silly as you brush it, keeping them engaged will generate excitement around the whole thing.”
The Hey Dugee toothbrush song is a great example of this as it encourages kids to brush their teeth for a full two minutes – the recommended time.
Another option is to use your child’s favourite toy.
“Let them ‘brush’ the toy’s teeth (without toothpaste),” Dr Kasem suggested.
“This will help them to understand that it’s a normal part of everyone’s routine, and not just a punishment for them.
5. Utilise time
It’s important to be brushing for a full two minutes, that’s 30 seconds for each quarter of the mouth.
Dr Eyrumlu suggests using a timer so kids can see or hear the time for themselves.
“Encourage them to brush one quarter of the mouth, and when the timer is up they can move on to the next section,” he explained.
“Brush along with them, doing your own teeth at the same time, enjoying the song.
“You can also try using a mirror so your child can see what they’re doing.”
6. Offer praise
Don’t forget to inspect your child’s mouth when they’re done to check they’ve done a good job.
“Then give lots of praise, high fives, whatever works,” said Dr Eyrumlu.
“Bring the whole family into the experience if you can! It’s all about making the routine a fun experience they enjoy.”
