Many people are aware that when a person is sick that you stay far away from them until they recover unless you want to catch whatever they have, but not as many people are aware that the same goes for people with poor oral health. People with poor oral health often suffer from infections in their gums, and gum infections, just like a viral infection, can be contagious.
You wouldn't want to share utensils with someone who is sick with the flu, and you should feel the same way about someone who has infected gums. Though both sicknesses are caused by different organism, they spread in much the same way.
When someone has a gum infection, it's possible for the bacteria that have caused their infection to spread to other things. This makes utensils particularly dangerous as they usually get the closest to the infection.
What You Can Do
Avoiding utensils used by a person who has a gum infection isn't enough. It's common to see family members occasionally share toothbrushes. It's not recommended to share toothbrushes for many reasons, but one of those reasons is cross-contamination. If a person has an infection in their gums, their toothbrush will certainly have a lot of the bacteria that caused the infection on it. If you were to use this toothbrush, you would put yourself at risk for infection as well.
It's always important to practice good oral hygiene in your household, especially when it comes to someone within the home having some type of an oral infection. Long-term gum infection is associated with premature tooth decay and loss, and in many cases, advanced gum disease requires major oral surgery. Luckily, we are here to help you. If you think you or a family member may have a gum infection, please come in for a visit. We'll be able to offer a solution and tips for a speedy recovery.