There are a lot of reasons to reject someone romantically. Perhaps there’s no chemistry, or your values are widely different, or you just prefer being alone. But is a mouth full of fillings a legitimate reason to make that first date your last? A Philadelphia, Pennsylvania-based dentist is warning people, women specifically, to check those chompers before tying the knot.
Lena (@ddslena) often posts news and observations from her career as a dentist. This weekend, she put something out there that has a lot of people shook.
Lena captions the TikTok, “Ladies, careful who you marry. Their cavities are contagious. Signed, dentist off-the-clock.”
Her post swiftly racked up views. As of this writing, it’s up 308,000 views and counting. Lena didn’t respond to a direct message sent via TikTok.
Many of the hundreds of comments are from people who suddenly fear the dentist’s chair.
“I’ve never had a cavity in my life… but my husband does. Now I’m terrified,” one woman wrote.
Contagious Cavities
As Lena explains in subsequent posts, cavities are caused by a bacteria called streptococcus mutans. These bacteria spread from one person to another when they swap spit, such as by sharing a drink or kissing.
“If you don’t have that bacteria, and you have good oral hygiene, you most likely don’t have any cavities,” Lena says in one TikTok.
The science journal Microbiome found that 80 million bacteria are transferred during a 10-second kiss.
Not everyone has a mouth teeming with colonies of streptococcus mutans. That’s why a person with poor dental hygiene may never get a cavity. But if they make out with someone who, like most people, does have streptococcus mutans in their mouth, they could wind up with cavities.
As the University of Illinois Chicago’s dental school writes, “[T]ooth decay is actually an infectious disease.”
Don’t Get Crowned
Lena points out in subsequent posts—many created in response to panicked comments—that you don’t have to break up with someone because they have cavities.
Regardless of who you wed or bed, the best way to avoid problems with your teeth and gums is simple: good oral hygiene. That means brushing twice a day for two minutes each time and flossing every day.
“If you brush and floss properly, you’re able to fight off that bad bacteria,” Lena says.
You may not be able to control who you love. But there are things you can do to help make sure the love you share doesn’t come with a bridge, crown, or root canal.
“If you happen to marry someone or make out with someone that does have that bad bacteria, you can defend against it by having proper oral hygiene,” Lena says. “Isn’t that nice? You don’t have to divorce them. Just continue on with your good hygiene.”