HIV transmission through sharing a toothbrush?
Hello Dr!I use toothbrush and then my friend said he used it before me 1 hour,could i catch hiv if it has blood of him?This is a line make me worry:news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/
Thank you for trusting me with your question.
The chances of HIV being transferred through sharing a toothbrush is virtually non-existent. For HIV to be transferred there needs to be a direct exchange of bodily fluids (i.e. human to human). There are only 4 fluids which transmit HIV, these are blood, semen and pre-cum, vaginal fluid and breast milk. Exchange of Saliva does not transmit HIV.
The reason HIV transmission is extremely unlikely through sharing a toothbrush is because there would need to be a large exchange of blood, i.e. both you and your friend would need to have open wounds in you mouth that were bleeding a lot at the exact time you used the toothbrush. Also, the HIV virus cannot survive outside the human body for more than a few seconds. Exposure to air and subtle changes in temperature immediately damage the virus beyond repair, so it can no longer infect another individual. Because you used the toothbrush an hour after your friend, even if he/she left HIV infected blood on the toothbrush, by the time you came to use it, all of the virus would have died.
I understand why the article may have worried you because HIV passed from one sister to another with no seemingly obvious explanation. However, experts remain firm that the risk of contracting HIV through sharing razar blades is so tiny that it is not a significant risk factor. There are four recognised modes of HIV transmission, these are: unprotected sex (vaginal, oral and anal), direct exchange of blood (e.g. through a blood transfusion), sharing needles and from mother to child.
Kind Regards
Dr. Punewali
