Benefits, Creating a Routine, In Kids, and More

What is personal hygiene?

Personal hygiene is how you care for your body. This practice includes bathing, washing your hands, brushing your teeth, and more.

Every day, you come into contact with millions of outside germs and viruses. They can linger on your body, and in some cases, they may make you sick. Personal hygiene practices can help you and the people around you prevent illnesses. They can also help you feel good about your appearance.

Learn more about why hygiene is so important, the best ways to practice it, and how you can change your habits to make yourself feel and look better.

Each person’s idea of personal hygiene differs. These main categories are a useful place to start for building good hygiene habits:

Toilet hygiene

Wash your hands after you use the restroom. Scrub with soap for 20 to 30 seconds, and be sure to clean between your fingers, on the back of your hands, and under your nails. Rinse with warm water, and dry with a clean towel.

If you don’t have running water or soap, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer will also work. Use one that’s at least 60 percent alcohol.

Shower hygiene

Personal preference may dictate how often you wish to shower, but most people will benefit from a rinse at least every other day. Showering with soap helps rinse away dead skin cells, bacteria, and oils.

You should also wash your hair at least twice a week. Shampooing your hair and scalp helps remove skin buildup and protects against oily residues that can irritate your skin.

Nail hygiene

Trim your nails regularly to keep them short and clean. Brush under them with a nail brush or washcloth to rinse away buildup, dirt, and germs.

Tidying your nails helps you prevent spreading germs into your mouth and other body openings. You should also avoid biting your nails.

Teeth hygiene

Good dental hygiene is about more than just pearly white teeth. Caring for your teeth and gums is a smart way to prevent gum diseases and cavities.

Brush at least twice a day for 2 minutes. Aim to brush after you wake up and before bed. If you can, brush after every meal, too. Floss between your teeth daily, and ask your dentist about using an antibacterial mouthwash.

These two steps can help prevent tooth decay and eliminate pockets where bacteria and germs can build up.

Sickness hygiene

If you’re not feeling well, you should take steps to keep from spreading germs to others. This includes covering your mouth and nose when sneezing, wiping down shared surfaces with an antibacterial wipe, and not sharing any utensils or electronics. Also, immediately throw away any soiled tissues.

Hands hygiene

Germs on your hands can easily enter your body through your mouth, nose, eyes, or ears. Wash your hands:

• when you handle food
• before you eat
• if you handle garbage
• when you sneeze
• any time you touch an animal

Likewise, wash your hands after changing a baby’s diaper, helping someone clean themselves, or when cleaning a cut or wound.

Good personal hygiene will help your kids stay healthy, ward off illnesses, and build better self-awareness.

It’s never too early to start teaching hygiene. You can wipe down your child’s hands after changing their diapers or before eating, brush their teeth and gums before bed, and get them into a daily bath routine. This helps you begin the process and slowly teaches them as they grow and take over the process.

Here’s a list of hygiene activities, how you can introduce them, and when is a good time to start:

Brushing teeth

You can begin brushing your baby’s teeth and gums the moment the first tooth pops up. They can brush their own teeth by about 3 years old. However, you may have to stay with them to guarantee they’re doing a good job and brushing long enough.

Play a 2-minute song when it’s time to brush teeth. That will let your little one know how long they have to brush, and they’ll get used to the process. Likewise, you may have to continue flossing for them until they’re older and can handle that task better, around age 7.

Bathing

You’ll be giving your baby baths regularly, but by about age 5, they should be able to handle this task on their own. As they’re growing and you’re supervising bath time, you should take the opportunity to teach about washing all the different body parts, especially:

• armpits
• groins
• neck
• belly
• knees
• elbows
• back
• feet

You can also use this time to teach them how to wash their hair without getting suds in their eyes — and what to do if they do.

Hand washing

Wipe your baby’s hands with a warm washcloth before mealtime, after eating, and after changing a diaper. During potty training, make washing hands an integral step in the process.

You can teach your child to sing the ABC song while they wash — it’s 20 seconds long, which is an ideal washing time.

Make it a priority to ask your child to wash their hands any time you’d like to encourage good hygiene, like before meals, after playing outside, after petting an animal, or after being near a sick friend.

Nail hygiene

You’ll clip your child’s nails when they’re a baby, but as they grow older, you can help them care for their own nails. Encourage your children to wash under their nails at each shower — a fun nail brush will help. Then, sit down with them weekly after a shower for a trim. Your nails are softer and clip more easily after a shower.

By age 7, most children should be up for the task alone.

Good personal hygiene habits are directly related to less illnesses and better health. Poor personal hygiene habits, however, can lead to some minor side effects, like body odor and greasy skin. They can also lead to more troublesome or even serious issues.

For example, if you don’t wash your hands frequently, you can easily transfer germs and bacteria to your mouth or eyes. This can lead to any number of issues, from stomach viruses to pink eye.

Not brushing your teeth can lead to teeth issues and plaque buildup. Poor dental care is also a risk factor for several serious health issues, including heart disease.

Poor hygiene habits can also affect your self-esteem. Looking and feeling presentable can give you a confidence boost and a sense of pride in your appearance.

Other conditions may be prevented or the risk minimized by practicing good personal hygiene. These are some examples:

• scabies
• pubic lice
• head lice
• body lice
• diarrhea
• athlete’s foot
• ringworm
• pinworms
• swimmer’s ear
• hot tub rash

If you want to improve your personal hygiene or help a child develop better habits, these strategies might be helpful:

Set reminders

If you can’t remember to do things like shower, wash your hair, clip your nails, or brush your teeth, set a reminder on your phone. The cue will push you to the activity, and over time, you’ll begin to do it yourself.

Use signs

Hang a reminder in the bathroom to wash your hands after using the toilet. Put a little sign by the plates or bowls in the kitchen to cue yourself to wash your hands before eating. These signs can help jog your memory and improve your habits. They can help both you and your children.

Practice makes perfect

It takes time to learn a new habit. Start with a new habit at the beginning of the week and make it your priority. Practice it for a week or two. When you feel comfortable with it, add a new one. Overtime, you’ll establish the habits you wish to have.

A:

Answers represent the opinions of our medical experts. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.

Was this helpful?

Building good personal hygiene habits takes a lifetime of learning and honing. Caring for yourself in these manners is good for your physical health as well as your mental health. If you find it difficult to adapt to these practices, talk with your doctor or dentist.

Sometimes, explanations and demonstrations are a good jump-start for taking better care of yourself. This is especially true for kids. A doctor can better explain the consequences of not caring for yourself, and a parent can use them as backup for building habits that will last a lifetime.

Read this article in Spanish.

Benefits, Creating a Routine, In Kids, and More

What is personal hygiene?

Personal hygiene is how you care for your body. This practice includes bathing, washing your hands, brushing your teeth, and more.

Every day, you come into contact with millions of outside germs and viruses. They can linger on your body, and in some cases, they may make you sick. Personal hygiene practices can help you and the people around you prevent illnesses. They can also help you feel good about your appearance.

Learn more about why hygiene is so important, the best ways to practice it, and how you can change your habits to make yourself feel and look better.

Each person’s idea of personal hygiene differs. These main categories are a useful place to start for building good hygiene habits:

Toilet hygiene

Wash your hands after you use the restroom. Scrub with soap for 20 to 30 seconds, and be sure to clean between your fingers, on the back of your hands, and under your nails. Rinse with warm water, and dry with a clean towel.

If you don’t have running water or soap, an alcohol-based hand sanitizer will also work. Use one that’s at least 60 percent alcohol.

Shower hygiene

Personal preference may dictate how often you wish to shower, but most people will benefit from a rinse at least every other day. Showering with soap helps rinse away dead skin cells, bacteria, and oils.

You should also wash your hair at least twice a week. Shampooing your hair and scalp helps remove skin buildup and protects against oily residues that can irritate your skin.

Nail hygiene

Trim your nails regularly to keep them short and clean. Brush under them with a nail brush or washcloth to rinse away buildup, dirt, and germs.

Tidying your nails helps you prevent spreading germs into your mouth and other body openings. You should also avoid biting your nails.

Teeth hygiene

Good dental hygiene is about more than just pearly white teeth. Caring for your teeth and gums is a smart way to prevent gum diseases and cavities.

Brush at least twice a day for 2 minutes. Aim to brush after you wake up and before bed. If you can, brush after every meal, too. Floss between your teeth daily, and ask your dentist about using an antibacterial mouthwash.

These two steps can help prevent tooth decay and eliminate pockets where bacteria and germs can build up.

Sickness hygiene

If you’re not feeling well, you should take steps to keep from spreading germs to others. This includes covering your mouth and nose when sneezing, wiping down shared surfaces with an antibacterial wipe, and not sharing any utensils or electronics. Also, immediately throw away any soiled tissues.

Hands hygiene

Germs on your hands can easily enter your body through your mouth, nose, eyes, or ears. Wash your hands:

• when you handle food
• before you eat
• if you handle garbage
• when you sneeze
• any time you touch an animal

Likewise, wash your hands after changing a baby’s diaper, helping someone clean themselves, or when cleaning a cut or wound.

Good personal hygiene will help your kids stay healthy, ward off illnesses, and build better self-awareness.

It’s never too early to start teaching hygiene. You can wipe down your child’s hands after changing their diapers or before eating, brush their teeth and gums before bed, and get them into a daily bath routine. This helps you begin the process and slowly teaches them as they grow and take over the process.

Here’s a list of hygiene activities, how you can introduce them, and when is a good time to start:

Brushing teeth

You can begin brushing your baby’s teeth and gums the moment the first tooth pops up. They can brush their own teeth by about 3 years old. However, you may have to stay with them to guarantee they’re doing a good job and brushing long enough.

Play a 2-minute song when it’s time to brush teeth. That will let your little one know how long they have to brush, and they’ll get used to the process. Likewise, you may have to continue flossing for them until they’re older and can handle that task better, around age 7.

Bathing

You’ll be giving your baby baths regularly, but by about age 5, they should be able to handle this task on their own. As they’re growing and you’re supervising bath time, you should take the opportunity to teach about washing all the different body parts, especially:

• armpits
• groins
• neck
• belly
• knees
• elbows
• back
• feet

You can also use this time to teach them how to wash their hair without getting suds in their eyes — and what to do if they do.

Hand washing

Wipe your baby’s hands with a warm washcloth before mealtime, after eating, and after changing a diaper. During potty training, make washing hands an integral step in the process.

You can teach your child to sing the ABC song while they wash — it’s 20 seconds long, which is an ideal washing time.

Make it a priority to ask your child to wash their hands any time you’d like to encourage good hygiene, like before meals, after playing outside, after petting an animal, or after being near a sick friend.

Nail hygiene

You’ll clip your child’s nails when they’re a baby, but as they grow older, you can help them care for their own nails. Encourage your children to wash under their nails at each shower — a fun nail brush will help. Then, sit down with them weekly after a shower for a trim. Your nails are softer and clip more easily after a shower.

By age 7, most children should be up for the task alone.

Good personal hygiene habits are directly related to less illnesses and better health. Poor personal hygiene habits, however, can lead to some minor side effects, like body odor and greasy skin. They can also lead to more troublesome or even serious issues.

For example, if you don’t wash your hands frequently, you can easily transfer germs and bacteria to your mouth or eyes. This can lead to any number of issues, from stomach viruses to pink eye.

Not brushing your teeth can lead to teeth issues and plaque buildup. Poor dental care is also a risk factor for several serious health issues, including heart disease.

Poor hygiene habits can also affect your self-esteem. Looking and feeling presentable can give you a confidence boost and a sense of pride in your appearance.

Other conditions may be prevented or the risk minimized by practicing good personal hygiene. These are some examples:

• scabies
• pubic lice
• head lice
• body lice
• diarrhea
• athlete’s foot
• ringworm
• pinworms
• swimmer’s ear
• hot tub rash

If you want to improve your personal hygiene or help a child develop better habits, these strategies might be helpful:

Set reminders

If you can’t remember to do things like shower, wash your hair, clip your nails, or brush your teeth, set a reminder on your phone. The cue will push you to the activity, and over time, you’ll begin to do it yourself.

Use signs

Hang a reminder in the bathroom to wash your hands after using the toilet. Put a little sign by the plates or bowls in the kitchen to cue yourself to wash your hands before eating. These signs can help jog your memory and improve your habits. They can help both you and your children.

Practice makes perfect

It takes time to learn a new habit. Start with a new habit at the beginning of the week and make it your priority. Practice it for a week or two. When you feel comfortable with it, add a new one. Overtime, you’ll establish the habits you wish to have.

A:

Answers represent the opinions of our medical experts. All content is strictly informational and should not be considered medical advice.

Was this helpful?

Building good personal hygiene habits takes a lifetime of learning and honing. Caring for yourself in these manners is good for your physical health as well as your mental health. If you find it difficult to adapt to these practices, talk with your doctor or dentist.

Sometimes, explanations and demonstrations are a good jump-start for taking better care of yourself. This is especially true for kids. A doctor can better explain the consequences of not caring for yourself, and a parent can use them as backup for building habits that will last a lifetime.

Read this article in Spanish.

Oral hygiene: rules and methods of care

What is good oral hygiene?
Good oral hygiene keeps your mouth healthy and your breath fresh and pleasant. This means that:

• Teeth look clean and free of tartar
• Gums are pink and do not hurt or bleed when brushing or flossing
• Bad breath is not a permanent problem

If your gums ache and bleed while brushing or flossing, and if your mouth smells bad, see your dentist. These symptoms may be a sign of a disease.

Your dentist or dental hygienist will help you learn how to maintain good oral hygiene and point out areas of your mouth that require special attention when brushing and flossing.

What are the methods for maintaining good oral hygiene?
The most important condition for healthy teeth and gums is the maintenance of proper oral hygiene. Healthy teeth are not just a component of an attractive appearance and good health. It is also a guarantee of good nutrition and intelligible speech. The health of your body as a whole largely depends on the state of the oral cavity.

Daily prophylaxis, including proper toothbrushing and flossing, prevents oral disease from developing and is less painful, costly, and problematic than treating lesions that could be stopped early.

Between regular visits to the dentist, each of us should follow simple recommendations that significantly reduce the risk of caries, periodontitis and other oral diseases. These include:

• Brush your teeth twice a day and floss your teeth daily
• Maintain a balanced diet by limiting intermediate snacks between main meals
• Use fluoride-containing oral care products, including fluoride toothpaste
• Rinse your mouth with fluoride rinses as recommended by your dentist
• If you live in an area where the water is not fluoridated, make sure that your child under 12 years of age consumes fluoride-fortified water or a fluoride supplement.

rules, tips, facts, tools

May 17, 2018

The health of any organ and organ system directly depends on how much a person cares and takes care of them. Hygiene of the teeth and oral cavity is the first priority. It is enough to brush your teeth twice a day to protect yourself from various dental problems such as caries, yellow plaque on the teeth, bad breath, periodontal disease and gingivitis. Dentists are sounding the alarm: their patients brush their teeth for no more than 45 seconds, although it is recommended to spend about three minutes on this. The remains of food in the interdental spaces not only cause inflammation, decomposing, but also make the breath stale.

You need to brush your teeth daily, in the morning and in the evening, for two to three minutes. Only then will this hygienic measure have an effect. Plaque mineralizes, hardens to the state of stone, and the remains of food in the interdental spaces rot and decompose. This not only causes inflammation, but also causes bad breath. Uncleaned, neglected teeth are easy enough to recognize: they are covered with brown plaque, which turns into deposits of stone, and are spoiled by caries. Scientists have counted at least 60 diseases provoked by carious teeth. The cardiovascular system, musculoskeletal system, skin, gastrointestinal tract, endocrine and nervous systems suffer.

The importance of professional oral hygiene

It is impossible to remove tartar on your own: a person without a medical education does not have the skills and equipment necessary for this. 35-40% of plaque and pathogenic bacteria will remain even after a thorough brushing of the teeth. Few can use the irrigator and floss. Therefore, the procedure for removing plaque and stone from the dentist should take place at least once every six months. Professional oral hygiene will help restore an attractive smile and beautiful gums, as well as restore health lost due to tartar.

Oral hygiene steps

Oral hygiene at a professional dentist takes place in several stages:

• Diagnostics. The doctor outlines the range of dental problems that the patient has. Often, in addition to removing tartar, the client needs to treat his inflamed, bleeding gums.

• Step-by-step cleaning of plaque and stone with ultrasound. In especially advanced cases, local anesthesia is used. Enamel during this hygienic procedure will not be damaged – tartar quickly exfoliates. If the plaque has a specific color due to coffee, nicotine, drugs and food coloring, then the Air Flow apparatus is added, which cleans with sodium bicarbonate solution.