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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Aibu to share a toothbrush?

53 replies

Tuthbrush · 12/04/2026 02:47

Now before you sling me in the stocks and throw fruit at me.

I don’t mean the bit that goes in your mouth.

DH and I share the handle of an oral B IO10. He has his separate heads and I have mine, stored separately and the handle is cleaned after each use. No tooth paste slime anywhere. My sister has been over tonight and when she came out of the loo asked why there was one toothbrush so I explained and she said we were mingers.

are we manky??
no I’m not a troll I’m mortally embarrassed that I might be the grossest person known to grace mankind

Yabu to share get your own base each
YANBU to share the base only of an electric toothbrush

OP posts:
BooBooDoodle · 13/04/2026 18:29

Went halves on an electric toothbrush with my DH. I’m really bad with sharing toothbrushes and the like and I gip whenever someone spits into the sink. It didn’t work out. Couldn’t get past the thought of old toothpaste gunk being spotted on the handle when I came to use it and gipped at the thought of washing it off. Toothbrushes are personal items in my house and I kept mine away from
everyone else’s. Funny how I can deal with sickness, diarrhoea and dog poo!

BillieWiper · 12/04/2026 10:05

Yeah I thought most couple did that. That's why they have little symbols on the brush heads. Which are shite and too small and the coloured bands were much better.

VickyEadieofThigh · 12/04/2026 09:58

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 12/04/2026 07:09

I agree with everyone else, it’s normal because that’s why they have the coloured rings.

We don’t do it here though. I have a separate bathroom and the kids would find a way to make it an argument if they shared.

Those who share - what do you do when someone is away? Do you use manual toothbrushes for travel?

Yes to your travel question - we take manual toothbrushes

VickyEadieofThigh · 12/04/2026 09:57

Lurkingandlearning · 12/04/2026 07:06

Aren’t the parts that go in the mouth detachable and sterilised after each use? Actually, if they aren’t ignore me because I really want to believe they are.

Show quote history

That's the point being made by the person you've replied to - threy only have one "handle" but put a sterilised head on for each patient. Like with the OP'S toothbrush.

Bristolandlazy · 12/04/2026 09:55

Voted YANBU in error. No, one handle makes sense although I would buy two so I didn't have to swap heads.

CarolinaLiar · 12/04/2026 09:53

Sounds like a faff to switch heads every time, but it’s absolutely fine.

If my toothbrush is flat, I’ll use my husband’s, including the head, and vice versa. 🤷‍♀️

WonderingWanda · 12/04/2026 09:50

We used to do that by dh was crap at keeping it clean and we had no sensible place for the brushes so I got myself another one.

SqueakyFromme · 12/04/2026 09:49

Lurkingandlearning · 12/04/2026 07:40

Phew! Thank you

Show quote history

I meant the actual electrical equipment used by hygienist. Not difficult to work out

Simonjt · 12/04/2026 07:55

Thats what the coloured rings are for, or on the newer ones the little picture. We just use the same head, we’re both too lazy to change it twice a day.

Evaka · 12/04/2026 07:55

Haha, DP and I share full toothbrushes more often than not. OP's sister would collapse.

greengreengrass3 · 12/04/2026 07:52

Yeah I think that’s perfectly normal to do. We have separate though as we have our own bathrooms and I couldn’t be bothered either the faff of fetching it each time.

Pippa12 · 12/04/2026 07:47

We have our own because we prefer different brands, but it’s normal practice. I wouldn’t think twice. I’d totally draw the line at sharing the head tho, second hand bits of old food and plaque makes me feel nauseous!

Lurkingandlearning · 12/04/2026 07:40

Nursemumma92 · 12/04/2026 07:39

Yes although the equipment is reused for patients, they are thoroughly sterilised between each use so not really a comparison.

Show quote history

Phew! Thank you

Cyclistmumgrandma · 12/04/2026 07:40

When someone is away, they take the “travel toothbrush”. We have a cheap generic electric toothbrush body which charges from a standard phone charger and uses the same heads as our normal toothbrush. Don’t want to risk losing our more expensive, branded brush. The idea that each person needs their own toothbrush body is pure marketing rubbish.

Nursemumma92 · 12/04/2026 07:39

Lurkingandlearning · 12/04/2026 07:06

Aren’t the parts that go in the mouth detachable and sterilised after each use? Actually, if they aren’t ignore me because I really want to believe they are.

Show quote history

Yes although the equipment is reused for patients, they are thoroughly sterilised between each use so not really a comparison.

365RubyRed · 12/04/2026 07:36

I personally wouldn’t but if you’re fine with it, why worry?

However I buy non branded replacement heads that aren’t colour coded so we each have our own handset. And what happens if one of you goes away for a few days?

Pricelessadvice · 12/04/2026 07:28

God I must be stupid. I thought the coloured rings were just a fun decoration 😂

GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing · 12/04/2026 07:09

I agree with everyone else, it’s normal because that’s why they have the coloured rings.

We don’t do it here though. I have a separate bathroom and the kids would find a way to make it an argument if they shared.

Those who share - what do you do when someone is away? Do you use manual toothbrushes for travel?

Lurkingandlearning · 12/04/2026 07:06

SqueakyFromme · 12/04/2026 03:19

We are right, ask your sister if the dental hygienist replaces their equipment for each client🦷

Aren’t the parts that go in the mouth detachable and sterilised after each use? Actually, if they aren’t ignore me because I really want to believe they are.

Execrgybjkkbgdsxhutdc · 12/04/2026 06:58

It’s quite literally the purpose of having the heads with different colour rings.

GreenWheat · 12/04/2026 06:05

Each to their own I guess but to me, the entire toothbrush is a personal item and we all have our own in my house.

FruitFlyPie · 12/04/2026 04:15

It's literally designed that way. Imagine you have a family of 4 and have four handles and chargers lined up on the bathroom counter, there wouldn't be room for anything else.

Bobbie12345678 · 12/04/2026 03:40

Ask your sister her thoughts on kissing (obviously with tongues for the purpose of this discussion) and… shock, horror… oral sex.

Bobbie12345678 · 12/04/2026 03:38

Absolutely fine.
If you really want to gross your sister out tell her there are people (me) who even share the whole toothbrush for a day or two when they are travelling.

RawBloomers · 12/04/2026 03:19

It used to be how they were advertised - one electric handle and a row of four heads with different coloured rings on a stand.