1) Hands
Properly and regularly washing your hands can effectively kill germs and prevent bacteria and contagious diseases from spreading. Unfortunately, it is very common for people to either not wash their hands thoroughly enough to kill germs.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), you should wash your hands vigorously for 20 seconds with soap and water using five simple steps: wet, lather, scrub, rinse, and dry. It is also important to wash every surface of your hands, not just your palms. Make sure to thoroughly wash between your fingers and under your fingernails where bacteria can hide.
It is important to regularly wash your hands because germs can quickly spread from surface to surface when you touch things around you. It is also common for people to mindlessly touch their own face and spread public germs to themselves.
2) Face
Washing your face is not just important for the look and feel of your skin. It is also very important for keeping germs and bacteria away. Your face endures a lot throughout the day: sunscreen, make-up, pollutants in the air, oils from your hands and fingers, food and drink particles around your mouth, puppy kisses, germs from your cell phone, your pillowcase, and more.
Regularly washing your face to get rid of clinging oils and germs is very important. It prevents bacteria and viruses from infiltrating your eyes, nose, and mouth. It also frees up your pores and allows your skin to repair itself overnight while you sleep.
3) Phone
Take a moment to think about where your phone has been over the last month... desktops, the bottom of your purse, back pockets, in the couch crack, and maybe even bathroom counter tops. Now think about the last time you thoroughly cleaned the surface of your phone... The thought alone is enough to make you squirm!
Cell phones have been shown in some studies to have ten times more bacteria than most toilet seats (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5466825/). Gross! Think about all of the places you set your phone down, even for a moment. As you go through your day, your phone is constantly picking up germs, dust, oils, make-up, and more gross materials. Keep a microfiber cloth with you to wipe away buildup on a daily basis, and be sure to disinfect your whole phone (take the case off!) with an antibacterial wipe.
4) Toothbrush
Some people assume that their toothbrush is squeaky clean. After all, shouldn't it get cleaned while it's cleaning your teeth with all the toothpaste and scrubbing? Unfortunately, bristles on your toothbrush can capture a lot of gross things when it is used, including food particles, blood from agitated gums, saliva contaminated with viruses or bacteria, and more. If your toothbrush sits on the open counter in your bathroom, it could even collect fecal matter from particles released from the toilet. Gross!
Keep your toothbrush stored in a cool, dry space as far away from the toilet as possible. Do not keep your toothbrush in a cap or travel holder for long periods of time. The warmth and moisture could accelerate bacterial growth rather than keep your toothbrush safe. Cleaning your toothbrush in boiling water and with anti-bacterial mouthwash could help reduce the amount of bacterial growth and the spread of germs.
Your Dental Health
Access Dental is the best dentist in the Springfield area, and your oral health is our top priority! In addition to these tips to keep your hands, face, phone, and toothbrush clean, we can help keep your teeth and mouth in top condition!
We want to be your dentist because your family deserves a great smile!
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