AIBU to find colleagues brushing their teeth in work toilets odd?

[toiletsink]

Seeing this more and more, not sure how I feel about it!

Over the last few years I’ve seen people using the work toilets to brush their teeth. Particularly people with Invisalign, recent whitening etc.

So I see why they have to do it, but it feels like a strange concept. I go for a wee, come out to wash my hands and next to me is someone brushing their teeth. On the other hand, where else would they do it!

I suppose I would probably feel odd brushing mine in a loo with such a high turnover of people doing their business behind me! What’s people’s thoughts?

Not odd at all. People reapply make up and deodorant, why not brush teeth? Proper dental care is always to be applauded and not discouraged.

I find it weird too as brushing teeth feels like a private/intimate activity but I also understand that needs must and there’s nowhere else suitable to do it

I’ve had to do this sometimes if I’ve got a dentist or orthodontist appointment straight after work. It’s not something I like doing at work and I try to do it when as many people have gone home if possible and always try to do it when nobody else is in the bathroom out of courtesy. Sometimes it is a necessity as you can’t always go home to do it and bathrooms (or shared kitchens) are the only places with sinks at work - and for obvious reasons the bathroom is the better option.

YABU. I don't understand the issue, and you yourself said you don't know where else they'd do it.

I brush my teeth at work after my lunch…I’m a teacher and don’t want to be breathing food/coffee smells over the children. What’s weird about this??

It feels a bit weird, but if you've just eaten lunch and are going to then go into meetings, teach a class, do a Teams presentation - whatever - then you do want to make sure you don't have spinach between your teeth.

I think brushing your teeth after a meal is expected now. I suspect it's a bit odd not to just because you're at work.

Well they have to brush teeth after lunch when you have braces etc. So I don’t see why it’s weird.

It would piss me off because I find it gross. I always have to look away if someone on the tv is brushing their teeth. I can’t stand the smell of mint coming from someone else either.

I am im the middle of clear aligner treatment and although I hate it I have no choice but to brush my teeth in restaurant toilets if I am out for a meal.

if I was working I would be cleaning my teeth in the work toilets too, it is just what you have to do!

We have one toilet in the office that is self contained (separate from the disabled) and I try to go in there when I floss and brush my teeth after lunch. if the office didn't have that though I would have to use the main toilets, I find food in my teeth really uncomfortable.

I've done it when I had a dental appointment. Don't think it's weord at all.

Yeah I don’t necessarily find it gross in that the action or brushing teeth is gross, it’s great hygiene. I might be feeling a bit off because I work in a place that may have up to 100 people in on a weekend day so majority of them will be using those loos. Something off-putting about a place predominately used for toiletting by a large number of people then being used to brush teeth!

I think taking care of your teeth / braces etc is hygenic and totally un-comment worthy
they aren’t sitting at their desk clipping their nails 🙄

I do this because I have Invisalign. Must admit, I HATE doing it in the toilets at work and try my best to make sure no one else is in there. It feels very odd people seeing me brush my teeth. But there’s nowhere to else to do it!

I couldn’t get worked up about this.

What's supposed to be the problem here? Teeth brushing is one of the many things people do in the bathroom.

It's funny how everyone sees some things as normal and some as odd. I don't like to see people applying makeup. It feels to me a bit like seeing their dirty secret and it feels "unhygienic" - yes, I'm aware that "unhygienic" is a word everyone uses about things that give us the ick.

Im not worked up either! I won’t be emailing my local Cllr that’s for sure!

Somebody at my old place of work used to use the toilet for… self pleasuring purposes shall we say (male, so thankfully I never encountered it). But after hearing that tooth brushing seems very tame indeed 😬

Actually, I much prefer to brush my teeth at the toilet "hall" - the place where only the sinks are, then in a room with a toilet in it.

Someone used to do this at my first job in the '80s.

I find it a bit odd, simply because most of the work loos I have had access to have had signs up warning you it's not drinking water (because of legionelka risk, even though it's cleaner water than many in the world have access to.) You don't need water to brush your teeth, just toothbrush/toothpaste, and you could take in a bottle of water.

It's definitely more acceptable than the US visitor we had at one office, who used his electric shaver - in the middle of the office, rather than using the loos or the nice shower room that was available

As long as they flush it afterwards it's fine ....😉