Afraid to test

[bearbandit]

Except that's precisely how I was infected but not quite as you describe. With certain gum disease/stages of the illness, there is no pain, there is no bleeding, but the gums are open to many types of bacteria and viruses, especially following some routine scaling or surgeries that are necessary.

I'm not saying it's impossible, I'm just saying it's much less likely than they'd like us to believe. Believe me, until I found my last dentist I was totally dental phobic (to the extent that I refused a gastroscopy in hospital because it involved something non-living and made of plastic going through my mouth into my throat). By the time I faced up to my phobia my mouth looked worse than the worst case of meth mouth you've ever seen. Want me to take 'em out for sucking? Make me an offer!