Do You Want To Borrow My Toothbrush? You Could Catch Anything

Main Category: Dentistry
Article Date: 22 May 2007 - 12:00 PDT

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Most Britons would be happy to lend their toothbrush to somebody else according to a new UK-wide dental survey.

The National Smile Month Survey, commissioned by the British Dental Health Foundation in association with Healthplan provider HSA, found that over 60% of people would be willing to let their partners, children, friends and even celebrities borrow their toothbrush.

Interestingly, men were far more protective of their brushes than women with almost half saying they wouldn't lend their brush to anyone, as opposed to only a third of women.

Dr Nigel Carter, chief executive of the Foundation, commented: "Sharing a toothbrush leaves people susceptible to all sorts of oral and general health problems. There are many hundreds of different bacteria and viruses in our mouths and people sharing a toothbrush could be passing these on to others. Whilst this might be something relatively harmless, such as a common cold or cold sore, if the person you are sharing with is infected with hepatitis B or HIV these could also be passed on via the toothbrush with life threatening consequences.

"People need to take good care of their toothbrush, changing it once every three months, and not letting anyone else borrow it. You should brush twice-a-day with fluoride toothpaste, cut down how often you have sugary foods and drinks and visit the dentist regularly as often as they recommend for a good oral healthcare routine."

"It's worrying that so many people either aren't aware, or don't care, that by sharing a toothbrush they could be running the risk of catching a serious infection. Especially those in London, who are most likely to share their brush with their favourite celebrity!" comments Abby Bowman from HSA. "It's important for individuals and families to look after their oral health and we would encourage regular trips to the dentist. And, if you are worried about the cost, a range of funding options are available."

The survey was commissioned to mark the 31st National Smile Month. The campaign will run until June 12 under the tagline 'Two Minutes Twice a Day'

-- National Smile Month runs from 13 May - 12 June 2007 under the theme two minutes twice-a-day
-- For free and impartial oral health advice call the Dental Helpline on 0845 063 1188.
-- HSA's Dental Plan starts from just £7 a month, offering money back, up to an annual limit, on dental maintenance, treatment and emergency cover. For more information about the HSA Dental Plan please visit www.hsa.co.uk or call 0800 072 6715.

About British Dental Health Foundation

-- The British Dental Health Foundation is an independent oral health charity
-- It operates a free and impartial Dental Helpline on 0845 063 1188 and has a website www.dentalhealth.org
--It operates National Smile Month each May and Mouth Cancer Awareness Week each November

About HSA

-- HSA is a trading division of Simplyhealth Access and is a provider of Health Plans, Private Medical Insurance and Dental Plans
-- Part of the Simplyhealth Group, Simplyhealth Access is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority
--HSA Health Plans provide a funding solution to help meet the cost of everyday healthcare. HSA Personal Medical Plans provide private medical cover for treatment in the UK. HSA also provides solutions for the corporate healthcare market.
-- As of January 2007 HSA had 892,000 customers providing cover for some 1,680,000 people.
--As of February 2007 HSA had just over 5000 UK corporate clients.

www.hsa.co.uk

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