Do you share hosts toothpaste?

[DoNaeWrong]

Hi.

Prompted by another thread a few days ago.

DH and I have been discussing, we're so sad.
I'd never heard of guests using toothpaste or brushes while staying (vom!!) So we were wondering how common it is. Could guests have been using ours from the family bathroom?!

(Fwiw happy to share lots with guests but not intimate tools or stuff where saliva is mixed up like this. Are we odd or is some bits of MN just batshit?)

Same with shampoo, conditioner and shower gel, etc. Happy for others to use and id happily use others when visiting.

I do leave small sample bottles in the spare room too if they prefer (again, hotel pick ups usually).

I wouldn't use someone else's solid soap bars though as that's something people use directly into their body. We use solid shampoo, conditioner and body soap. I doubt anyone would use those, but always leave bottles in the bathroom guests will use.

People are being very blase about the toothpaste issue but it does mean people wiping their toothbrushes up against something which you then wipe your brush up against! Toothbrushes which have been in their mouths.

I mean, surely it is a little bit gross? I think it's the kind of thing where if you don't like the person it would be gross but if it's your sister it's ok😊

How is it gross to share toothpaste?

If you use bar soap but don't share it, do you each have your own soap lined up in the bathroom?

Toothpaste - normal. What are you doing to get saliva in the tube?

Toothbrushes - no, that's obviously gross.

But my toothbrush goes in my mouth then next time you wipe toothpaste on it.. saliva /germs end up transferred... Unless you're all washing your toothbrushes in some way?!

On the opening of the toothpaste I mean

And I wouldn't share either.

I was horrified on the pp about how many people thought sharing toothpaste was fine.

I only live with DH so don't mind sharing.

I wouldn't share with a guest, I always leave out toiletries especially for them.

🤣🤣I remember that thread!! I think the guests were expecting a (clean, new, unused, still on packaging) toothbrush would be provided for them (which is ridiculous and demanding IMO!!!!), not that they should use the actual hosts already used toothbrush!!!! 😝

(If a friend forgot their own toothbrush and I happened to have a new unopened spare around, I'd happily give it. If not, they should just pop to Tesco IMO. I don't think I should be expected to provide toiletries as a host!)

No! The very thought make me feel sick. Nobody could use mine any way because I hide it - shampoo/shower gel anyone can use. But I would take someone else's apart from an emergency.

Surely you squeeze the toothpaste on the toothbrush without the tube touching the brush 🤔?

Saliva can't jump.

I think the risk of germ transference with toothpaste is so minimal that it really is not worth worrying about for a millisecond.

Just remember how lucky we are (in developed countries) to have safe drinking water and sanitary toilets.

I squeeze the toothpaste on my brush without touching the brush, so they'd be nothing to transfer. Toothbrushes no, but toothpaste I'd ask if I'd forgotten mine. I live with my adult DD and we have our own in our own side of the bathroom cabinet.

I wouldn't use someone else's brush obviously, but the tooth paste, why not? Same as using their shampoo or whatever isn't and avoids the problem of flying with liquids. I'd ask first though (before even arriving so I know what I have to pack).

And also obviously if I was visiting someone even for just short time and they had a bar of soap in the toilet/bathroom I would use that.
I think there is a move towards hand wash now, but older people tend to still have soap. It gets washed as you wash your hands.

What are you talking about ‘wipe toothpaste on it?’ You squeeze the tube above your toothpaste until you have your desired amount on the brush. You don’t smash the brush up into the opening of the tube.

Do you struggle equally with letting a guest drink from a mug you’ve used? Or use your cutlery? I mean they’ve been in your mouth. What about sandwich stuff? Can they use their hands to take a piece of cold meat out to put on a sandwich? Then their fingers have touched the food you’ll later eat.

Some people are so frightened of the world, squealing ‘yucky’ and ‘gross’ and perfectly normal human contact. I wonder how they manage to cope with everyday normal life.

Above your toothbrush even! You don’t scrub the brush on the toothpaste tube, you simply squeeze out some toothpaste. It’s not that difficult to comprehend realistically.

😂 Yes to toothpaste but what nut job uses someone else’s toothbrush?!!

Because the toothbrush goes in your mouth, brush brush, quick rinse. Then next time, you get the toothpaste and squirt it into the brush. I definitely use my toothbrush to stop the flow of toothpaste. So the toothpaste rubs against my somewhat spitty toothbrush.

I wonder if the difference in technique is due to how much toothpaste people are using. I don’t use tonnes, but if you use a lot maybe you can drape it on the brush without touching the paste against the brush?

Wouldn't bother me in the slightest, but it never ceases to amaze me whst things make so many MNers vom, shudder and retch.

I take my own, but wouldn’t feel bad about taking some toothpaste if I didn’t have any. It’s not a hygiene issue - the brush doesn’t touch the tube.

I don’t think it’s likely anyone is using your toothbrushes. Why would they? You just use your finger if you forget. I do keep some spares for guests though so you could do that.

Same.

This place is a revelation in terms of discovering innocuous things that some people manage to get themselves in a tizzy over.

Anyone is welcome to have a good old squeeze of my tube of toothpaste.

I just cannot imagine why anyone would care about toothpaste. Toothpaste is communal in this house.

It’s nothing like toothbrushes. they are personal because they go in your mouth.

It’s like complaining your guests used your shampoo. Or put your milk in their coffee.