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Brushing up on Restroom Etiquette
Posted by Jacquie Bee
on
10:56 AM
in
The Office
I really really REALLY wish people would not brush their teeth in public (or office) restrooms. I have, and always had, a profound aversion to watching someone brush their teeth or having a spectator present while I brush mine. I know some people think this is just plain odd but there are others who share my distaste. You know who you are. ;)
There was a woman at my last place of employment who used to brush her teeth after lunch every day. And hey, I get it. Oral hygiene is good. Healthy teeth and gums are essential for your overall wellbeing. And no one wants halitosis! But for some reason my bladder and her brushing schedule started to synchronize and every day I would walk into the washroom to see her bent over the sink, vigorously brushing her chompers. I don’t know what it is exactly. It could be the frothing or the spitting or the unmistakable sound the toothbrush makes as it scrapes back and forth along a person’s teeth…but I’m shuddering right now just picturing it! I would spot her and break into a speed walk toward the stalls, which always seemed miles away at that point.
Once I went to the washroom after lunch, thinking I was in the clear because the lone brusher was not in her usual position. But when I came out of the stall, there she was – hunched over the sink, bent arm moving furiously up and down, side to side as the room filled with that awful and inimitable ch-ch-ch-ch-ch sound.
PANIC! What do I do? I had to wash my hands but how to do this without losing my lunch?!?! I made the snap decision to go to the sink furthest from the nausea-inducing brushing and wash my hands as fast as humanly possible. But my colleague turned her head (yikes!) and spotted me. I pretended not to notice her so she said “Ay Gaggie!”
NO NO NO! Even worse than brushing near me is trying to speak to me when your mouth is full of minty froth. (Note: This could also be the reason I hate mint. It reminds me of toothpaste which reminds me feeling nauseated.) In my near panic I said ‘oh hey’ and walked out the door without properly rinsing or drying my hands. That’s what pants are for, right? Right.
It’s come to the point where I’m not only grossed out but also borderline offended when people brush in a public loo. My phobia is a bit weird, I know. But that aside, I just feel that this is a personal grooming routine which should only be done in the privacy of one’s own bathroom. For me it falls in the same category as shaving or nail clipping. These are things you do (or should do) in the sanctity of your own home. Call me crazy…
There was a woman at my last place of employment who used to brush her teeth after lunch every day. And hey, I get it. Oral hygiene is good. Healthy teeth and gums are essential for your overall wellbeing. And no one wants halitosis! But for some reason my bladder and her brushing schedule started to synchronize and every day I would walk into the washroom to see her bent over the sink, vigorously brushing her chompers. I don’t know what it is exactly. It could be the frothing or the spitting or the unmistakable sound the toothbrush makes as it scrapes back and forth along a person’s teeth…but I’m shuddering right now just picturing it! I would spot her and break into a speed walk toward the stalls, which always seemed miles away at that point.
Once I went to the washroom after lunch, thinking I was in the clear because the lone brusher was not in her usual position. But when I came out of the stall, there she was – hunched over the sink, bent arm moving furiously up and down, side to side as the room filled with that awful and inimitable ch-ch-ch-ch-ch sound.
PANIC! What do I do? I had to wash my hands but how to do this without losing my lunch?!?! I made the snap decision to go to the sink furthest from the nausea-inducing brushing and wash my hands as fast as humanly possible. But my colleague turned her head (yikes!) and spotted me. I pretended not to notice her so she said “Ay Gaggie!”
NO NO NO! Even worse than brushing near me is trying to speak to me when your mouth is full of minty froth. (Note: This could also be the reason I hate mint. It reminds me of toothpaste which reminds me feeling nauseated.) In my near panic I said ‘oh hey’ and walked out the door without properly rinsing or drying my hands. That’s what pants are for, right? Right.
It’s come to the point where I’m not only grossed out but also borderline offended when people brush in a public loo. My phobia is a bit weird, I know. But that aside, I just feel that this is a personal grooming routine which should only be done in the privacy of one’s own bathroom. For me it falls in the same category as shaving or nail clipping. These are things you do (or should do) in the sanctity of your own home. Call me crazy…
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