The Importance of Personal Hygiene

Personal hygiene is the practice of keeping oneself and one's living and working condition clean in order to prevent disease and to maintain good health. The daily habit of ensuring cleanliness and hygienic lifestyle will save you from future health care costs.

Proper sanitary practices is important because it affect your wellness, your relationships with others, your self confidence, self esteem and productivity. You interact with other people on a daily basis. Having bad breath, body odor, dirty finger nails, stained teeth, smelly feet or being unkempt is a big turn off.

It's a shame that there are still many adults who don't realize the importance of basic personal hygiene and grooming. Washing their hands and hair, taking regular showers and cleaning their genitals and excretory organs are easy to do and yet they don't make these a habit.

Neglecting to take care of your mouth, teeth and gums will cause gum disease like gingivitis and periodontitis, dental problems and bad breath. Having bad breath is embarrassing and offensive.

Some of the causes of bad breath are ...

1. Food trapped in cavities after eating.
   
   
2. The food you eat. Garlic and onion are two of the usual contributors.
   
   
3. Tobacco and beer.
   
   
4. Plague deposits.
   
   
5. Gum disease.

How to maintain fresh breath all day.

1. Brush your teeth at least three times a day especially after eating and before going to sleep. Use toothpaste with green tea extract because the properties in green tea will help prevent bacterial enzyme from turning sugar into a sticky substance that allows plague to stick to teeth.
   
   
2. Floss to remove food that gets stuck in between your teeth and decay. No matter how much you brush, you will not remove everything.
   
   
3. Gargle or rinse with water when it is inconvenient to brush after your meals or use mouthwash.
   
   
4. Clean your tongue. Bacteria accumulate on the tongue and can contribute to the foul smell when you breathe or open your mouth.
   
   
5. Chew sugarless gum or suck sugarless mint to stimulate saliva production from a dry mouth.
   
   
6. Avoid tobacco and beer.
   
   
7. Avoid strong odors of food like garlic and onions.
   
   
8. Visit the dentist regularly.

How to detect if you have bad breath.

1. Breathe into a handkerchief.
   
   
2. Ask someone who will tell you the truth.
   
   
3. Run a floss between your teeth

One of the major reasons for having body odor is the lack of attention to body hygiene. Body odor makes you feel unsafe and insecure in the company of others. Your social life and relationships will suffer if you do not take action to eliminate it.

Body odor is usually caused by sweat that is produced under the armpits and the groins. Bacteria that feed upon it causes the stinking odor.

How to prevent body odor.

1. Clean your underarm and groin area with water and bacterial soap.
   
   
2. Use deodorant or antiperspirant.
   
   
3. Wash the clothes that you wear even after using it once.
   
   
4. Cut pungent food that is carried in your sweat from your diet. Garlic, onions and beer are the common ones.
   
   
5. Wash, shower or bathe regularly.

How to prevent foot odor.

Foot odor is caused when the sweat does not evaporate and bacteria feed on it.

1. Wash the soles of your feet and in between your toes with water and antibacterial soap regularly.
   
   
2. Soak your feet in kosher salt solution.
   
   
3. Use antiperspirant or foot deodorant.
   
   
4. Use clean and comfortable socks. Change them daily
   
   
5. Take care of your feet and your shoes. Choose the right shoes. Wash and air them. Sprinkle your shoes to absorb moisture.
   
   
6. Switch to wearing open toed sandals or thongs especially in public showers.

1. Wash your hair regularly. You need to wash them after spending long hours outdoors This is because your hair collects dust and pollens. You need to wash away the chlorine after swimming.
   
   
2. Shampooing helps get rid of dandruff that is caused by dead skin cells.
   
   
3. Take a shower after exercise that makes your perspire.

You use your fingers and your hands in almost all of your activities. Washing your hands especially after using the toilet is a must personal hygiene habit to keep.

Washing them thoroughly and drying afterwards help remove germs. This is a habit that you must practice after you expose your hands to touching your pets, preparing food and many other daily and routine activities. Remember to trim your finger and toe nails.

1. Regular showers or bathing is the one of the most basic personal hygiene practices to keep yourself clean and fresh.
   
   
   
2. Keeping your home clean by washing and changing your bed linens, curtains and vacuuming the carpets remove dust and mites. This will avoid you from getting allergies.
   
   
   
3. If you smoke, choose to do it outside to allow clean air in your home.
   
   
   
4. Go outdoors and get fresh air. It is also a way to relax your mind from your daily stress.
   
   
   
5. Wash your furry pet regularly.
   
   
   
6. Choose your food wisely. Ensure that you do not consume food that is contaminated.
   
   
   
7. Cover any cuts on your skin after cleaning them.
   
   
   
8. Take care of your skin. Cleanse your face and supply moisturizer to your skin including your legs and arms to avoid dryness and scales.
   
   
   
9. Change your tampons or sanitary pads regularly during your menstruation.
   
   
   
10. Practice safe, healthy and clean lifestyle.

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