HYGIENE 101

Learn some tips and tricks on the importance of hygiene and how you can change your habits to make yourself feel and look better.

1. Personal Hygiene - Each person’s idea of personal hygiene differs. Here’s a basic selfcare routine

2. Effects of poor hygiene- Learn more about the bad side effects of neglecting a proper hygiene routine.

3. Creating a routine - This guide is a useful place to start for building good hygiene habits

Personal hygiene

Following good personal hygiene and prevention habits,including vaccination, helps limit the spread of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms and prevents the misuse or excessive use of anti-microbials. Here’s a few basic hygiene habits that everyone must follow.

1. Bathe regularly

• One of the most effective ways we have to protect ourselves and others from illness is bathing regularly.

• Washing the body helps keep it free of disease-causing germs and 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.

2. Washing hands

• Washing your hands before preparing or eating food, after going to the bathroom, after coughing or sneezing, and after handling garbage, goes a long way toward preventing the spread of bacteria and viruses.

• You can also keep a hygiene product, like an alcohol-based sanitizing gel, handy for when soap and water isn’t available.

3. Dental 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.

• Don’t ignore the tongue. Gently brush your tongue every time you brush your teeth.

• Consider limiting sugary drinks and foods as the sugar converts into acid in the mouth, which can then erode the enamel of your teeth. This can lead to cavity buildup.

4. Nail care

• 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.

bad side effects

Find out about the bad side effects of poor hygiene habits.

1. Body odour

Most of us are familiar with the effects of unpleasant body odor on our health. Besides embarrassing them people around you, it may develop allergies and unsupportable itching,

making your life a nightmare.

2. Body lice

• Body lice are small insects that thrive and produce eggs in clothing and bedding. These insects feed themselves with the residues they find on the skin.

• Their favorite parts of the body to thrive and develop are the armpit and the groin, as these areas of the body have high humidity.

Behaviors that may lead to body lice development:

- Not showering regularly.

- Wearing dirty and smelly clothes.

3. Bad breath and other mouth diseases

• Bad breath is another poor personal hygiene issue that hurts your mouth's health.

• As a result, inside your mouth may develop teeth decay, dental carries, bleeding gums, and bad breath.

Examples of behaviors that lead to oral hygiene

diseases are:

1. Not brushing your teeth regularly.

2. Not flossing.

3. Not cleaning your tongue.

4. Influenza contraction

• Poor personal hygiene can also promote the spread of virus andbacteria.

• Especially during the Corona Virus epidemic, bad selfcare practices like not washing your hands often and not covering your mouth with a cloth or elbow when sneezing or coughing will encourage the virus contraction.

Creating a routine

1. Set reminders

• By setting a reminder on your phone, the cue will push you to the activity, and over time, you’ll begin to do it yourself.

2. 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.

3. 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.