my uncle works in a luxury ship, he brought home MANY used toothpaste containers. Some are just half- empty, others almost empty, still some seem almost unused. We don't know if he got it from his workmates there or who knows. Any research that says used toothpaste contain harmful substances or organisms deeming it unfit for usage or unhealthy to use?
Worried that it may harm them..
Thanks!
2007-03-12 17:21:56 · 8 answers · asked by rev 2 in Health ➔ Dental
yes it is harmful because of the bacteria that grows in it after it is open. I would recommend for you to replace toothpaste
every fourteen days
2007-03-12 17:28:02 · answer #1 · answered by CINDY M 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
ICK dont use them. Say for example that the person who first used the toothpaste has tuberculosis. TB can live on surfaces (and in toothpaste containers) for 7 days! Which means anyone who uses that container could get TB! As well as other infections.
NEVER NEVER use someone else's toothpaste that is not a family member! ICK!
If he is really THAT cheap buy him some new toothpaste and throw out the old ones.
If he wont throw them out grab all the containers and run them under HOT water and squirt out a large amount of the pastes to help get rid of any bacteria in the container.
But it is a BAD idea to use some stranger's toothpaste!
2007-03-13 01:11:46 · answer #2 · answered by Educated 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes,but only if you are planning on brushing with it! Saliva has the potential of being in the toothpaste tube from the previous user having placed their used toothbrush against the tube to receive the toothpaste. So,since you have NO idea who the previous user was do not risk herpes or other bacteria coming into contact with you or your family. If you wouldn't be willing to kiss every person on a cruise ship(and I hope you wouldn't!!!)do not use what you do not know the history of. However, toothpaste is an awesome cleanser---especially if used with a toothbrush you are planning to replace--- to clean all kinds of things! As a cleaner-it's GREAT to recycle the used toothpaste. Be safe! Clean something other than your families precious bodies. Please! Take Care!
2007-03-13 00:51:59 · answer #3 · answered by lady 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No apparent harm in using used toothpaste. If its too old, it may be dry. Otherwise, there is no problem. Think of a scenario, when you have opened a tube and used it for some days. Then left for for a month and then again started using from the same tube. There would be no harm in it. Same with this case. Be careful about the expiry dates of the paste though.
2007-03-13 00:27:03 · answer #4 · answered by Subhasis G 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Toothpaste can stay usable for a long duration. However that is providing that it was capped tight after usage. How many kids leave the cap off the tube? It may dry out but it will take time. Also, are there cockroaches, etc., with access to the tube? I know it sounds gross, but it's still a fact, that cockroaches, ants, etc, will try to get to it, if they find it. I myself, would stay away from these type of things, if I don't know where they've been, before.
2007-03-13 00:31:19 · answer #5 · answered by David T 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Probability of harm appears to be high - you do not know, what sort of people used each one of these, and also the exact nature, of each use. Possibility of people, with weird minds, cannot be totally ruled out, anywhere in this world. Besides, there are no international standards for testing used toothpastes!
2007-03-13 00:37:08 · answer #6 · answered by Sam 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Know how the toothpaste comes out when you squeeze and sometimes the tube sucks some of the toothpaste back in? Well, all types of germs and viruses can be in those tubes. I hope that your family isn't using any of that toothpaste.
2007-03-13 00:30:03 · answer #7 · answered by Neil L 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
depending on who used it if it was a family member or a partner then probably not ........unless they have a transmittable disease that can spread orally.
2007-03-13 00:31:23 · answer #8 · answered by jenny c 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋