What If My Mouth Touched My Upper Part Of My Shirt?

Posted on Fri, 8 Aug 2025

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Fri, 8 Aug 2025 Answered on

2 hours ago Last reviewed on

Question : Just now when I was trying to sleep, I felt something on my upper part of my shirt that was wet. I touched the upper part of my shirt with my mouth to see if the top part was wet. I soon realized that I haven’t washed my shirt for a few days, so would something awful would happen to me if my mouth touched my upper part of my shirt?

Answered by Dr. Dr. Satnarain Bansal (5 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Hi,

Detailed Answer:

Touching your unwashed shirt with your mouth can definitely expose you to some infections, particularly, if not washed for a long time. Exfoliated dead skin cells, sweat or some other body fluids are a favorable source of growth of micro-organism like bacteria, virus, fungus & even parasitic infections & by touching these with mouth, these can enter in the body causing the infections to you. However, the probability of this infection will depend on your immunity to these infections, if any.
Also, most of the times, the infections may not be present at all or not significant enough to make you sick, thus resulting in exposing you to a non-existing phobic reaction.
Hence, you are advised to just observe for any symptom of infection like fever, body aches or symptoms of abdominal pain, dysentery or vomiting etc. In this case, you are advised to see your doctor for specific diagnosis & treatment accordingly. Otherwise, you should forget it like a bad dream & being more vigilant against such happening in future.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. LAKSHMI

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Satnarain Bansal (2 hours later)

When I said I touched my shirt with my mouth, I meant touching my shirt with my lips. Also, my shirt isn’t that dirty; I just kept wearing it for just a few days (just only some small wet fluids from my body), but other than that, my shirt doesn’t look that dirty.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Satnarain Bansal (18 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Hi,

Detailed Answer:
Even if the shirt does not look dirty, still the presence of micro-organisms including bacteria, virus ,parasites or fungus can not be ruled out completely, as most of the micro-organisms can not be seen with naked eyes & therefore a fraction of risk will always be there, if touched by lips.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vaishalee Punj

Follow up: Dr. Dr. Satnarain Bansal (21 minutes later)

It happened once last night and after that, I went to the bathroom to rinse it off with water and washed my face afterwards. After that, I made sure that would never happen again.

Answered by Dr. Dr. Satnarain Bansal (3 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Hi,

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Need not worry.

Please do not beover- concerned about the outcomes of this episode.

You should just forget it & adopt good hygienic habits in future.

Wish you all the best in your life.

Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Dr.Raju.A.T