Hep C through Toothpick?

[ReaganSmash]

I've read many posts on this forum and have found that most of the responses are supported with very reliable information, so I thought that this would be as good a place as any on the net to ask this question.  I was at a party with some friends and accidentally used a toothpick that was not my own.  I had it in my mouth for <5 seconds but do recall pressing down pretty hard between my teeth and gums near my molars.  I don't recall breaking the skin, but I have read that Hepatitis C can spread if exposed to the mucous membranes.  Anyone know how realistic it is to obtain Hepatitis C through this kind of exposure?  Thanks in advance for answers.

[nygirl7]

I was going to mention the fishbone but figured it would just confuse everyone.

Yes Bill I did read this is how Ben Franklin first thought to use his kite - with a toothpick attached. As you may know, originally they were made of metal ;)

[ReaganSmash]

Wow!  Thank you so much for all the replies!  I really appreciate the quick feedback!

[spectda]

note to self. never carry toothpicks during thunderstorms. Thank goodness thunderstorms are rare in California.

[Trinity4]

Or a fishbone Bill.

[Bill1954]

Ah, I get it Deb; I’m a touch slow at times. You were suggesting that ReaganSmash not hold a toothpick up in a lightening storm! Duh!

:)

[Bill1954]

“The chance of being hit by lightening would be higher than the risk you speak about and they are 1/500,000.”

Hehehe, small comfort to the 500,000th person though, huh :o)?

[nygirl7]

The chance of being hit by lightening would be higher than the risk you speak about and they are 1/500,000.

[spectda]

Anything is possible, but this is highly unlikely and I dint think you should waste your time worrying about. We could spend all if our time medically testing for unlikely problems, but doctors generally test people that show symptoms or are at risk for specific illness.

Welcome and don't worry, Dave.  Just my opinion.

[Bill1954]

The risk for subcutaneous needle stick accidents in the medical profession from a *known* HCV positive patient is listed as 1.8% per incident, as reported by the U.S. CDC:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
HCV is not transmitted efficiently through occupational exposures to blood. The average incidence of anti-HCV seroconversion after accidental percutaneous exposure from an HCV-positive source is 1.8% (range: 0%--7%) (73--76), with one study indicating that transmission occurred only from hollow-bore needles compared with other sharps (75).

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/rr5011a1.htm
~~~~~~~~~~~

You don’t believe the incident actually broke the skin, or whether the object was from a known HCV positive source. I think you can rest assured that if you develop HCV, it won’t be from this occasion—

Bill

[Trinity4]

Very unrealistic.  Hepc is transmitted from blood to blood and it must enter the bloodstream which does not happen by the method of exposure you describe.

Trinity