While brushing, flossing, and rising with mouthwash only takes just a few minutes out of your day, it’s still a difficult commitment to keep up with. Whether it’s because you just have a busy schedule, you forget from time to time, or you just can’t see why you need to take care of your teeth so often, people everywhere struggle with consistent oral hygiene.
The dental office of Dr. Christian Johnson is here to help you find your groove for a proper oral hygiene routine with some quick tips and tricks on how you can work the essential steps into your daily life and stay consistent. Of course, everyone is motivated in different ways, so find what method works best for you and get to keeping those teeth clean and healthy!
Give Yourself A Reward
Think of something that you want, and can give yourself as a reward for having good oral hygiene. For example, for every week that you brushed, flossed, and used mouthwash every day, you reward yourself with your favorite ice cream (but make sure to brush after you eat it)! Not only does it give you a reason to get into that daily routine, but it also gives you something tangible that you look forward to. The reward can be anything that you like, since the key is to just motivate you into staying consistent.
Scare Tactics
Not taking care of your teeth can end up leading to some pretty scary things, from serious gum disease, tooth loss, and infection. Do some online searches about bad dental problems, or just ask Dr. Johnson and our staff here at your next appointment about what exactly can happen to your teeth if you don’t brush and floss. If you’re the type of person that can be motivated more by avoiding a bad situation, try this method for yourself! You may find yourself brushing and flossing every day after knowing what could be in store for you down the road if you don’t!
Think Of Your Goal
For those who are motivated by setting goals and achieving them, this is the way to go. If you have the goal of being healthy later in your life, than having good oral health is a very key piece of that process. Not only is good oral health make sure your teeth and gums are healthy, it is also connected to reduced chances of developing infection, heart disease, and other harmful conditions. This can be difficult since the benefits of brushing, flossing, and rinsing every day can be difficult to see in the short term, but the long-term benefits are very worth it. Staying on track to your goal will take a lot of commitment, but if anyone can get you motivated to keep up with your routine, it’s yourself.
Make It A Competition
If you have trouble finding motivation just by yourself, find a close friend or a family member that you can try to bring in as a part of your hygiene efforts and make it a friendly competition about it. Keep track of the days that you followed your routine and the days you missed, compare with each other and see who the winner is. You can even set up a reward for the winner, such as the loser has to buy lunch or dinner.