9 Hygienic Mistakes We Unknowingly Tend to Consider Harmless

We learn about the main principles of self-care in childhood. Everyone understands how important it is to wash their hands and brush their teeth regularly. But oftentimes, we don’t even think about hygiene habits that can actually be harmful to us. Even the way we dry our bodies after showering and cut our nails matter.

We at Bright Side made a list of widespread hygienic mistakes that many of us make.

We always start to brush our teeth in the same place.

When we constantly start to brush our teeth in the same place, we pay most of our attention to the teeth that get brushed first. The teeth we brush last don’t get much attention because we tend to get bored by the time we get to them. Therefore, dentists advise not to get used to the same brushing pattern and always start with different teeth in order to clean them more evenly.

We wash our face after engaging in physical activity, not before.

Experts believe it’s more important to wash before engaging in physical activity. It’s better to wash off any makeup or dirt in advance, and you won’t have to worry about the cleanliness of the skin after a workout. If you don’t do this, then it’s better not to wipe your face from sweat after training — otherwise, you risk clogging your pores. It’s enough to gently blot the skin with a cotton towel.

We cut wet nails.

Wet nails are softer than dry ones, so cutting them may seem easier. But, in fact, this method brings more inconveniences, as the nails bend and the cut turns into a tear. Uneven edges of the nails can cling to clothing, which can damage both. That’s why it’s better to cut your nails dry.

We rely on the effectiveness of wet wipes.

Antibacterial wipes do kill germs, but only on clean hands. If the skin is covered with dirt or grease, the alcohol in the wipes won’t be able to penetrate into the skin. Regular handwashing will be more reliable in this case.

Baby wipes don’t contain enough alcohol to remove viruses and bacteria at all.

We dry our bodies too much after showering.

Experts don’t advise wiping yourself dry after a shower. With a towel, we remove dead cells that protect the skin. Instead, it’s best to wait for the skin to dry on its own, or gently pat it dry with a towel instead of rubbing.

We use scented pads and tampons.

Scented feminine hygiene products can break the pH balance of the skin, leading to irritation. It is worth choosing hygiene products that don’t contain additional chemicals, such as fragrances.

We use too much toothpaste.

Dentists don’t agree that the more toothpaste we use, the better it is for our teeth. Brushing your teeth with a lot of toothpaste can lead to fluorosis in children. This is enamel damage caused by excess fluoride, which can stain teeth with age and make them more prone to decay.

Fluorosis affects mostly children. But still, using too much toothpaste with abrasive particles combined with the hard rubbing of a toothbrush can cause enamel to weaken. You can avoid all these issues if you use pea-size amounts of toothpaste with each use.

We constantly use the same antiperspirant.

Over time, our bodies get used to antiperspirants. If we change them rarely, they no longer work against bad odors. Therefore, it is considered useful to periodically try antiperspirants of other brands.

We clean our ears but don’t wash behind them.

People shouldn’t be cleaning their ears at all. But if the body starts to produce a lot of earwax, which can lead to discomfort or hearing loss, it is better to consult a doctor who will carry out the necessary procedures.

At the same time, we often forget to clean the area behind our ears, even though it’s recommended to do so regularly. Without doing this, our skin can start to give off an unpleasant smell. In order to prevent this from happening, you need to wash the area behind the ears using soap and water on a daily basis.

Which of these habits do you have? What else would you add to the list?