What's the "ick" factor for brushing your teeth in a public restroom?

[MorningGlow]

It really grosses me out--people who tote their toiletries into the public, multi-stall restroom at work just after lunch and heartily go at it--brushing their teeth with gusto, foaming it up like rabid dogs.

Maybe it's because I hate the smell of mint. Or maybe it's because I saw the "toothbrush contamination" episode of Mythbusters, where toothbrushes placed anywhere in a bathroom became totally contaminated with airborn residuals of poo within minutes. But it just skeeves me out. Bad enough I've got my own cooties and family cooties on my toothbrush at home, but my coworkers' cooties?

:puke:

Meh. Maybe I'm just too delicate. :shrug:

[TheFriendlyAnarchist]

1. Remeber however, that the one in the kitchen also had fecal matter on it,

Face it, shit is everywhere.

[Little Wing]

2. I worked for a place that had a single option for men and one

for women. In the dude's bathroom was always a toothbrush and paste at the back of the sink.

There was no ventilation.

:puke:

[Patiod]

3. OMG - that skeeves me out completely

I do NOT want to be brushing my teeth while my co-workers are doing their noisy business in there.

Plus my dentist thinks Americans brush too often and too hard - he prefers 2x a day with a softer brush.

[Connonym]

9. I had to have a tissue graft because of brushing too hard

I was about 19 or so and I used a firm bristled toothbrush, managed to scrub so hard I tore the tissue of my gums and they had to take a graft from the roof of my mouth to repair it. Ouch! That was a lesson I learned the hard way.

[hfojvt]

4. that all depends

did I find the toothbrush on the floor, or did I have to fish it out of the toilet?

[azmouse]

5. How's this for ickiness?

While I didn't see this myself I believe my mom when she told me about it. She saw someone take their false teeth out and rinse them in a public drinking fountain.
How's that for :puke:

[Blue-Jay]

6. I do that at work after lunch.

Of course, the mens room on my floor is very clean and usually unoccupied.

[Ellen Forradalom]

7. Perhaps you are too delicate

Your colleagues are protecting their health and you from bad breath.

[xmas74]

10. Thank you!

When I worked in offices I carried my toothbrush and paste in and out, never leaving it there and it never touched any surface.

I figured that my coworkers were fine w/ the smell of minty goodness, as long as I cleaned up all the toothpaste residue in the sink. It had to smell better than my diet which has always been rich in onions and garlic!

[Bridget Burke]

8. None at all.

The toothbrush is only in that "filthy" room for a minute or two each time.

My immune system is in good shape & I like having clean teeth.

[Bucky]

11. The more cooties you ingest, the more exercised your immunity system is

[pitohui]

12. as opposed to driving home 60 miles roundtrip to brush their teeth after lunch?

i hate to say it but you're the one w. cooties, my friend, not the folks who actually brush their teeth after they eat!

what do you do when you're on a 14 hour jet trip? i've noticed a LOT of people don't seem to brush their teeth after they eat, it creeps me out, i see almost no one getting water and an empty cup after the meal so they can brush 00 --and some of these are business travelers!

i think missionaries are the worst, never seen one brush his teeth or take a toothbrush kit into the lav