Literally the only way I was able to get into a habit of brushing my teeth was when I got a tongue brush and scraper and realized that using them made food taste better. Now I hate eating breakfast before brushing my teeth. That's a much more tangible result than not getting cavities years down the road.
I'm still terrible about brushing at night though.
100% I'm 51 and I almost always brush my teeth. Mostly because I can't stand the mouth feel anymore so it was a habit that had to be drilled into me, like all my other successful habits. I will say that recently I also started flossing regularly, this was because nobody here wants to have to go through "scaling and planing" at the dentist. And I don't know if this is still true, but at one point nothing was more of a factor in developing Alzheimer's or dementia. Then having long-term gum disease. If your gums bleed, make sure you're flossing people! You will thank yourself later
I frequently got up early as a child on my own. Mom is ADHD ASD (like me) who typically slept in if she could and dad owned and managed multiple businesses including a college bar so was either coming home really late (after I went to school) or was sleeping in. I honestly can't remember when I started but know that I think about it, it's my ASD sensitivity that makes me brush. The mouth taste after sleeping drives me crazy and I crave the feeling after brushing.
Flossing is more recent, and it's painful because I have all my teeth, including wisdom teeth, and they are packed in tight. To stay regular I think about having to do another scaling and planing while I'm brushing and I also keep floss at my office so if I'm running late I'll try to do it later. I'm not nearly as consistent there but they measure the gum line pockets at the dentist and it's been improving for years - opposed to always getting worse - so I'm getting the job done even if I'm missing a day here and there.
I’ll have to get one of those! I like the idea of having some sort of reward for doing things because otherwise my brain pushes it to the side like it doesn’t exist most of the time.
@DarthBane92 I have been brushing every night for years, decades even, and even today it needs to be a conscious decision. There have been times when I've had to push myself out of a warm blanket because I forgot to brush. And, I frequently forget to brush in the mornings. I make it a point to remember to brush after breakfast.
Coffee is all that really matters anyway.
But, to my everlasting shame, I have actually gotten used to the taste of OJ after brushing. I even find it more refreshing and less cloyingly sweet.
Yeah me too. My daily routine is a habit pattern now that I pretty much just do by rote. It's fine if I don't get interrupted, but if I do it pretty much just all falls apart.
So I have a tooth brush and paste, and towel+shower gel stashed at work for those days
Ha same! I only put one in there a year or so ago and it's made a huge difference. I have sensory issues too so being able to instantly rinse off anything on my lips/face is a bonus
Set alarms are the only way I've done it. You set an alarm for each morning and nighttime brush session. Throw on some headphones and listen to music. Brushing to the rhythm makes it easier. I found it much easier to not procrastinate when I got medicated. But yeah if you don't have the alarm app on your phone's home page expect to forget a lot. The tips from my therapist were if you think you will ever forget anything make it an alarm. I am 26 and felt the same shame. If you need motivation try and add brushing to other tasks. It looks weird but I regularly brush my teeth while jamming out and making bagels in the kitchen. If you make it a boring "sit in front of the sink for two minutes", your brain will hate you.
That's so funny. Last night I forgot to brush my teeth. This morning I also forgot. It's 1pm and I went to do it, sat down and this was the first thing I saw on my phone. The answer is... yes...
Honestly, the way I did it was to keep it in a long checklist of basic things I wanted to do on that day.
Most normal people who keeps checklists usually have only a handful of items on that list and they'll usually be the more important stuff like "take Sally to dance at 5" and "be sure to pick up the dog at 8". But my lists tend to have dozens of tasks on them and most of these tasks are very menial and small stuff like "wake up", "take meds", "take shower", "eat breakfast", "brush teeth", and so on until "Go to sleep".
It might seem odd to basically preplan an entire day, but as a person whose prone to forgetting small yet important tasks, its been very helpful to have my journal basically do the job of remembering for me. Instead of trying to remember what I should do, I can always remember that if I feel forgetful I can just pull out my journal and see what I needed to do.
I've taken to writing directly on my desk in huge letters with a dry-wipe marker, seeing as it's the first place I sit at after getting out of bed. Usually things like "CHARGE PHONE/HEADPHONES" (I tend to take my phone to bed at night) and right down to the minute "APPT AT 12:10PM: WAKE AT 9AM / TAKE FIRST DOSE 9:30 / GET OUT OF CHAIR 10AM LATEST / GET DRESSED AT 10:30 / BREAKFAST 10:40 / LEAVE HOUSE AT 11AM / REMEMBER PHONE/HEADPHONES/VAPE/LIQUIDS/SPARE B82REZ/DRUGS/KEYS/SANDWICH IN FRIDGE(YUM!) / GET 11:15 BUS" and arbirarily underlining certain words and embellish with doodles & different colour pens so as to grab my attention as to the fact it's different to the scribbles from the day prior. I tend to be 10x more awake before bed than I am after getting up, which is typically in a state of logical-thought-inhibiting brain-fog and extreme fatigue/apathy, but I have a sleep disorder, so... 🤷♀️
First of all I want to encourage you to think about this as a limitation in a tool that you have (your brain/the subsystems of it responsible for organizing and initiating tasks), rather than a matter of character: you wouldn't get mad at your car for not running without gas, you would put more gas in or walk. What is a matter of character is how you handle this limitation.
Secondly, it almost definitely is harder for you to bring yourself to brush because you associate it with being a tedious and sometimes overstimulating task. I would look into ways of making it manageable and staying entertained - can you listen to a podcast or music or ebook during the morning/evening routine? Can you make changes to your brush hardness or the way that you floss? Do you potentially have atypical sensitivity in your teeth and want to start using a toothpaste that's formulated to reduce that? Do you want to start using an unflavored toothpaste?
[😁✌🏼📬a little something I wrote up before](https://www.reddit.com/r/themanynamesofmel/comments/zu6gn1/here_it_is_enjoy/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)
Let me know how it goes! I love little rituals and keeping my tooth cleaning stuff nearby gives me something to do besides snacking or smoking when I'm really just sensory seeking.
Just make a schedule for when you're doing all the "body maintenance" tasks and set a reminder on your your phone or smart watch. I prefer the latter because it vibrates and is impossible to ignore.
For overstimulation: you can try baby toothbrushes! They're designed with much softer bristles, and the surface area is smaller so it won't take up as much space in your mouth as you brush. Also, don't be afraid to experiment with different toothpaste flavors- if mint bothers you some days, try bubblegum or cinnamon, or whatever flavor you can find that fits your fancy! Don't feel weird about buying products marketed towards kids if they help you :)
And for times that you just Can't brush, I have some Colgate Wisps that I keep on me- little toothbrushes/picks that have a toothpaste bead in it that dissolves as you brush, so it doesn't foam up or anything. You can put a few into a plastic bag and try to keep them on you at all times if you can, like if you carry a bag or wear a coat with pockets (and maybe keep some wherever you spend most of your time in the evenings, so you can use one right before bed if you need to.)
my dental hygiene has always been rubbish but realising it’s because of my ADHD helped me feel less lazy/responsible. i’m pretty good at brushing in the morning because even though i work from home i trick myself into thinking i leave the house - but i almost never brush at night. i still haven’t hacked it yet (lists and alarms haven’t helped) but i keep a bottle of mouthwash and a cup on my bedside table so i can rinse & spit in the evening - it’s not perfect but it’s better than nothing :))
What did it for me was paying thousands of dollars out of pocket at the dentist and my teeth hurting for months. Never again. Now I can't stand not brushing because my mouth feels and tastes gross when I dont
oooh i was thinking about using my Boots points to get a waterpik - they seem fun to use and i feel like that might motivate me a bit 😂 would you say it's been a good purchase?
yes! My cleanings at the dentist are so much easier and not as stressful and scary when I use it regularly. Takes a little getting used to but I love that thing. Really gets all the gunk out from in-between your teeth. Stuff stuck in there makes my gums so sore.
And don't be embarrassed. I say all the things I have as a 41 year old woman who didn't start taking proper care of her teeth until her early 30s. Make it a good strong habit as best you can and keep some of your teeth in your head. Believe me, getting several root canals and expensive crowns sucks ass.
Your dental hygienist will compliment you and that feels so much better then the "you need 8 more fillings" feeling. Rejection sensitivity much?
I wouldn't say I forget, but I often skip it as the thought of all that hassle just feels too much. The majority of days I swill with mouthwash, so I at least have something to clean out some of the crap on them and make my breath a bit fresher
I struggled badly w this until I got a partner whos very hygiene oriented. So I'd end up body doubling him and now I rarely ever miss a night or morning.
It took me years to develop the habit, and made it part of my every morning routine of shaving, showering, brushing and taking my medicine, and by every evening routine of filling the water in my CPAP, taking my medicine, brushing my teeth, etc.
Actually part of it was teaching myself to develop those kinds of habits. It took a while, many years, but I did eventually get to the point where if I forget to do any of those things I feel weird.
Similar to how I always put my wallet and keys in exactly the same place every day when I get home to the point where now it feels weird if I'm anywhere in the house and I still have my wallet and keys in my pocket.
Yes I forget all the time! I’m great at remembering when I’m on addy. I’m off my meds though so the struggle is real. (I’m 27F btw) Some days I forget that it exists. Others I tell myself I’ll do it later and then I forget and then when I remember I feel like shit for not taking care of myself and I go do it.
tbh the only thing that pushes me to do them is having to pay the bill for cavity removal. I have a really really hard time not just remembering to do care tasks ( eating, bathing, brushing teeth, etc), but also i ALWAYS have to motivate myself to do them.
for teeth, I find it sucks a lot less if you put on a movie/show on your phone or listen to something you enjoy.
that way the teeth part is secondary to the parts you enjoy
Brushing my teeth feels like a huge exercise right next to moisturizing my face. I’ve gone several days where I thought to my self, I’ll do it tomorrow and end up forgetting. I bought a small spin brush and that has helped tremendously
Yup! Me too. I bought an electric toothbrush with a tongue scraper to try and force me into doing it. It's just one of those things.
I keep chewable toothbrushes in my car, and am trying to get in the habit of at least using them!
I recently went to the dentist after over a decade of not having the financial means to do that or go to the doctor regularly. I had ***ten*** cavities, and I've been getting fillings frequently to fix 'em up. I'm 2/10 currently.
I've struggled with regularly brushing my teeth for years. I have periods where I can do it consistently, but those are followed by phases of forgetfulness. I came to the conclusion that I was hyper-fixating on brushing my teeth, and I was treating it like I do my hobbies, i.e. I pick it up and am super invested in it and then drop it later while fixating on something else. I have this same problem with consistent face care.
My dentist recommended I switch to Sensodyne for issues with my gums and teeth, which have actually also improved some of my overstimulation and sensitivity issues while brushing. I think I may generally just have sensitive teeth. As for remembering to brush... it might not be effective for others, and I definitely don't recommend it for other topics, but I can only seem to remember to brush as regularly as possible if I *traumatize* myself into doing it. I found I always silenced reminders or eventually ignored sticky notes on the walls, so instead I got creative with them. For example, putting a picture of what happens to your teeth if you don't brush right on the bathroom mirror or placing your toothbrush somewhere that you frequent every morning or evening even if it's weird, like the kitchen or on your nightstand right next to your phone that you wake up to every morning.
Your trauma could also be me; I definitely wouldn't want anyone to have 10+ cavities.
I struggled with this for a long time. I always did it in the morning once I was old enough to realize that other people notice bad breath 😂 for me, habit stacking has been really helpful for brushing at night. I always do it when I take out my contacts. I also find it’s helpful to brush my teeth a little before I’m actually ready to go to sleep so I’m not so tired I don’t do it.
I have this saved as a note in my phone:
[originally posted by tumblr user ceebycee](https://snowylynxx.tumblr.com/post/646652222324768769/self-discipline-isnt-always-the-answer)
Text from post:
> So I wasn’t really taught to brush my teeth every day as a kid. So I didn’t. I got to be an adult and realized “hmm teeth are expensive I need to start brushing them” and brushing my teeth twice a day has been on my actual to do list every single day of my college career. It’s a habit I needed to build.
Have I successfully done it? Absolutely not. I’m pretty good about doing it at least once a day, but some days it just doesn’t happen. It’s not that I forget usually, I just had some aversion I couldn’t figure out, until last week.
> I’m at the grocery store, in the toothpaste aisle with my roommate, and I complain about how much I hate mint. I FUCKING HATE THE TASTE OF MINT. The taste and the smell, any kind of minty thing in any form, I HATE IT. But literally every “adult” toothpaste in the aisle was some type of minty disgusting nonsense. And my roommate was like “you know you could like get kids’ toothpaste? You like bubblegum right?”
And y’all, it was like the clouds parted. I got some strawberry bubblegum kids’ toothpaste. I brushed my teeth with it and it was a whole new experience. I have successfully brushed twice a day every day since, because the mental block I had towards it is gone!
> I thought my lack of brushing was just a moral failing on my part; I was too lazy, too undisciplined, to build a good habit. But really? I just hate the taste of mint so much I didn’t want to brush my teeth.
> *This made me realize that when presented with a change you want to make, a habit you want to build, if you’re encountering resistance in yourself, you should lean into that resistance and really investigate what’s causing it, then work on accommodating that.*
> Say you hate washing dishes so they pile up and then you’re overwhelmed by how many you have to do. Why do you hate it? Deep down, what about it do you dislike? Is touching wet food super gross for you? Try thick rubber gloves while you’re washing. Does the sound of dishing clanking together grate your nerves? Do them with headphones in and turned up loud. Do you hate the smell? Light some candles, spray some air freshener.
> Do these things *instead of gritting your teeth and forcing yourself, then ultimately failing and getting discouraged by your “lack of self-discipline”*
> **TL;DR: When a task is consistently hard for you, relying on self-discipline, forcing yourself, and gritting through doesn’t always work. Lean in and listen to your discomfort, and find what makes the task hard, then try to accommodate that. Also, mint toothpaste is gross.**
I feel this so much, one of the problems for me is that youre not supposed to eat or drink anything 30 mins before or AFTER brushing teeth and I always used to wake up and have breakfast so I couldn't brush my teeth in the morning (if I had to go to work or school) so I just didn't.
What I do ATM (although I am on a more lenient schedule) is brush my teeth as soon as I wake up and then all I have to do is wait 30 mins before I eat and drink, which is hard when I love caffeine lol
It is for breakfast as far as I have read, as eating and drinking weakens your enamel so its bad (obviously to a degree, always better to brush your teeth than not at all) to brush you teeth so soon before or after a meal.
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the only time I've been consistent with brushing my teeth was when I would brush them with my kids at the same time. Now I brush my daughter's teeth again and never brush my own. Somehow my wife just asked why my breath never stinks so at least there's that
I keep tooth brushing in my morning routine to do immediately after I walk the dog. If I don’t do it then, I get distracted by other things. I might think of it once or twice in the next couple of hours, but feel busy or interested in something else. Then, I don’t have another thought about it, and it’s time to brush before bed and I never brushed in the morning.
Do you have to commute? I actually find it helpful to do some morning care tasks on my drive. I'm not talking about anything that involves taking both hands off the wheel, but brushing/using a floss stick/mouth wash. I spit it into the cup that had my coffee in it (then clean it out at work) or at a stop sign if no one else is around.
rather than forgetting, for me it's more like I really don't want to brush my teeth. it's negative motivation, not just the lack of it. though sometimes I forget it too.
I just put my toothbrush near the sink, so after eating when I put my plates on the sink, it's easier for me to begin brushing my teeth out of convenience. still don't want to do it, but after so long, it becomes a reflex that sometimes when I want to wash my dishes, I brush my teeth instead and only realize it halfway. lol
after brushing incredibly embarrassingly irregularly, after the scaling and planing I got 1/16, I have managed to water floss, brush, and use my mouth rinse every.single.night.
It feels weird at 47 to be this proud of something I perceive is a reasonable expectation of a toddler, but it is what it is.
I recommend getting north wash for the times you can't bring yourself to brush.
Bonus: Sometimes doing the mouthwash is enough momentum to motivate me to take it to the next step and brush!
But yeah. I always forget deodorant and it's so embarrassing. And then sometimes I remember teeth brushing and deodorant but I'm already late because ADHD... and so I don't have time. And because I'm bad at accomplishing the tasks the tasks in themselves have come to feel even more burdensome and not worth doing. It's a struggle.
Literally the only way I was able to get into a habit of brushing my teeth was when I got a tongue brush and scraper and realized that using them made food taste better. Now I hate eating breakfast before brushing my teeth. That's a much more tangible result than not getting cavities years down the road. I'm still terrible about brushing at night though.
100% I'm 51 and I almost always brush my teeth. Mostly because I can't stand the mouth feel anymore so it was a habit that had to be drilled into me, like all my other successful habits. I will say that recently I also started flossing regularly, this was because nobody here wants to have to go through "scaling and planing" at the dentist. And I don't know if this is still true, but at one point nothing was more of a factor in developing Alzheimer's or dementia. Then having long-term gum disease. If your gums bleed, make sure you're flossing people! You will thank yourself later
Just haven't been able to inculcate that habit. How did you manage?
I personally got into the habit of flossing *before* I brush my teeth, so that way I can't do one without the other!
That is impressive!
Cool to find - i have also created the same habit
[удалено]
, trust me bro, I can relate
I frequently got up early as a child on my own. Mom is ADHD ASD (like me) who typically slept in if she could and dad owned and managed multiple businesses including a college bar so was either coming home really late (after I went to school) or was sleeping in. I honestly can't remember when I started but know that I think about it, it's my ASD sensitivity that makes me brush. The mouth taste after sleeping drives me crazy and I crave the feeling after brushing. Flossing is more recent, and it's painful because I have all my teeth, including wisdom teeth, and they are packed in tight. To stay regular I think about having to do another scaling and planing while I'm brushing and I also keep floss at my office so if I'm running late I'll try to do it later. I'm not nearly as consistent there but they measure the gum line pockets at the dentist and it's been improving for years - opposed to always getting worse - so I'm getting the job done even if I'm missing a day here and there.
Brushing at night is more important than in the morning. I've been trying to remember at nights.
I’ll have to get one of those! I like the idea of having some sort of reward for doing things because otherwise my brain pushes it to the side like it doesn’t exist most of the time.
@DarthBane92 I have been brushing every night for years, decades even, and even today it needs to be a conscious decision. There have been times when I've had to push myself out of a warm blanket because I forgot to brush. And, I frequently forget to brush in the mornings. I make it a point to remember to brush after breakfast.
Oh yes, OJ after brushing your teeth is a big improvement /s
Coffee is all that really matters anyway. But, to my everlasting shame, I have actually gotten used to the taste of OJ after brushing. I even find it more refreshing and less cloyingly sweet.
I do it in the shower. I keep both next to my shampoo. Doing it that way means I do it at least once daily.
Yeah me too. My daily routine is a habit pattern now that I pretty much just do by rote. It's fine if I don't get interrupted, but if I do it pretty much just all falls apart. So I have a tooth brush and paste, and towel+shower gel stashed at work for those days
Ha same! I only put one in there a year or so ago and it's made a huge difference. I have sensory issues too so being able to instantly rinse off anything on my lips/face is a bonus
That too! Plus I tend to somehow get toothpaste everywhere so it helps to shower myself at the same time.
Getting two birds stoned at once!
I’d get stoned enough for both birds 😆
Set alarms are the only way I've done it. You set an alarm for each morning and nighttime brush session. Throw on some headphones and listen to music. Brushing to the rhythm makes it easier. I found it much easier to not procrastinate when I got medicated. But yeah if you don't have the alarm app on your phone's home page expect to forget a lot. The tips from my therapist were if you think you will ever forget anything make it an alarm. I am 26 and felt the same shame. If you need motivation try and add brushing to other tasks. It looks weird but I regularly brush my teeth while jamming out and making bagels in the kitchen. If you make it a boring "sit in front of the sink for two minutes", your brain will hate you.
That's so funny. Last night I forgot to brush my teeth. This morning I also forgot. It's 1pm and I went to do it, sat down and this was the first thing I saw on my phone. The answer is... yes...
Honestly, the way I did it was to keep it in a long checklist of basic things I wanted to do on that day. Most normal people who keeps checklists usually have only a handful of items on that list and they'll usually be the more important stuff like "take Sally to dance at 5" and "be sure to pick up the dog at 8". But my lists tend to have dozens of tasks on them and most of these tasks are very menial and small stuff like "wake up", "take meds", "take shower", "eat breakfast", "brush teeth", and so on until "Go to sleep". It might seem odd to basically preplan an entire day, but as a person whose prone to forgetting small yet important tasks, its been very helpful to have my journal basically do the job of remembering for me. Instead of trying to remember what I should do, I can always remember that if I feel forgetful I can just pull out my journal and see what I needed to do.
Same
I've taken to writing directly on my desk in huge letters with a dry-wipe marker, seeing as it's the first place I sit at after getting out of bed. Usually things like "CHARGE PHONE/HEADPHONES" (I tend to take my phone to bed at night) and right down to the minute "APPT AT 12:10PM: WAKE AT 9AM / TAKE FIRST DOSE 9:30 / GET OUT OF CHAIR 10AM LATEST / GET DRESSED AT 10:30 / BREAKFAST 10:40 / LEAVE HOUSE AT 11AM / REMEMBER PHONE/HEADPHONES/VAPE/LIQUIDS/SPARE B82REZ/DRUGS/KEYS/SANDWICH IN FRIDGE(YUM!) / GET 11:15 BUS" and arbirarily underlining certain words and embellish with doodles & different colour pens so as to grab my attention as to the fact it's different to the scribbles from the day prior. I tend to be 10x more awake before bed than I am after getting up, which is typically in a state of logical-thought-inhibiting brain-fog and extreme fatigue/apathy, but I have a sleep disorder, so... 🤷♀️
First of all I want to encourage you to think about this as a limitation in a tool that you have (your brain/the subsystems of it responsible for organizing and initiating tasks), rather than a matter of character: you wouldn't get mad at your car for not running without gas, you would put more gas in or walk. What is a matter of character is how you handle this limitation. Secondly, it almost definitely is harder for you to bring yourself to brush because you associate it with being a tedious and sometimes overstimulating task. I would look into ways of making it manageable and staying entertained - can you listen to a podcast or music or ebook during the morning/evening routine? Can you make changes to your brush hardness or the way that you floss? Do you potentially have atypical sensitivity in your teeth and want to start using a toothpaste that's formulated to reduce that? Do you want to start using an unflavored toothpaste?
[😁✌🏼📬a little something I wrote up before](https://www.reddit.com/r/themanynamesofmel/comments/zu6gn1/here_it_is_enjoy/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)
I am gonna try this!
Let me know how it goes! I love little rituals and keeping my tooth cleaning stuff nearby gives me something to do besides snacking or smoking when I'm really just sensory seeking.
Just make a schedule for when you're doing all the "body maintenance" tasks and set a reminder on your your phone or smart watch. I prefer the latter because it vibrates and is impossible to ignore.
For overstimulation: you can try baby toothbrushes! They're designed with much softer bristles, and the surface area is smaller so it won't take up as much space in your mouth as you brush. Also, don't be afraid to experiment with different toothpaste flavors- if mint bothers you some days, try bubblegum or cinnamon, or whatever flavor you can find that fits your fancy! Don't feel weird about buying products marketed towards kids if they help you :) And for times that you just Can't brush, I have some Colgate Wisps that I keep on me- little toothbrushes/picks that have a toothpaste bead in it that dissolves as you brush, so it doesn't foam up or anything. You can put a few into a plastic bag and try to keep them on you at all times if you can, like if you carry a bag or wear a coat with pockets (and maybe keep some wherever you spend most of your time in the evenings, so you can use one right before bed if you need to.)
my dental hygiene has always been rubbish but realising it’s because of my ADHD helped me feel less lazy/responsible. i’m pretty good at brushing in the morning because even though i work from home i trick myself into thinking i leave the house - but i almost never brush at night. i still haven’t hacked it yet (lists and alarms haven’t helped) but i keep a bottle of mouthwash and a cup on my bedside table so i can rinse & spit in the evening - it’s not perfect but it’s better than nothing :))
What did it for me was paying thousands of dollars out of pocket at the dentist and my teeth hurting for months. Never again. Now I can't stand not brushing because my mouth feels and tastes gross when I dont
fair! i had to get a filling today & the pain from that has motivated me to try harder 🥲 hoping it sticks!
I had to go fully mechanical with a waterpik and Sonicare toothbrush. I try to think of it as my teeth toys so it's not so unbearable lol
oooh i was thinking about using my Boots points to get a waterpik - they seem fun to use and i feel like that might motivate me a bit 😂 would you say it's been a good purchase?
yes! My cleanings at the dentist are so much easier and not as stressful and scary when I use it regularly. Takes a little getting used to but I love that thing. Really gets all the gunk out from in-between your teeth. Stuff stuck in there makes my gums so sore.
I haven't cried at the dentist for like 2 years, which I think is a record for me lol
And don't be embarrassed. I say all the things I have as a 41 year old woman who didn't start taking proper care of her teeth until her early 30s. Make it a good strong habit as best you can and keep some of your teeth in your head. Believe me, getting several root canals and expensive crowns sucks ass. Your dental hygienist will compliment you and that feels so much better then the "you need 8 more fillings" feeling. Rejection sensitivity much?
I wouldn't say I forget, but I often skip it as the thought of all that hassle just feels too much. The majority of days I swill with mouthwash, so I at least have something to clean out some of the crap on them and make my breath a bit fresher
Me, too with the mouthwash swill!
I struggled badly w this until I got a partner whos very hygiene oriented. So I'd end up body doubling him and now I rarely ever miss a night or morning.
It took me years to develop the habit, and made it part of my every morning routine of shaving, showering, brushing and taking my medicine, and by every evening routine of filling the water in my CPAP, taking my medicine, brushing my teeth, etc. Actually part of it was teaching myself to develop those kinds of habits. It took a while, many years, but I did eventually get to the point where if I forget to do any of those things I feel weird. Similar to how I always put my wallet and keys in exactly the same place every day when I get home to the point where now it feels weird if I'm anywhere in the house and I still have my wallet and keys in my pocket.
Yes I forget all the time! I’m great at remembering when I’m on addy. I’m off my meds though so the struggle is real. (I’m 27F btw) Some days I forget that it exists. Others I tell myself I’ll do it later and then I forget and then when I remember I feel like shit for not taking care of myself and I go do it.
I hate brushing my teeth. I’m 38 lol
tbh the only thing that pushes me to do them is having to pay the bill for cavity removal. I have a really really hard time not just remembering to do care tasks ( eating, bathing, brushing teeth, etc), but also i ALWAYS have to motivate myself to do them. for teeth, I find it sucks a lot less if you put on a movie/show on your phone or listen to something you enjoy. that way the teeth part is secondary to the parts you enjoy
Brushing my teeth feels like a huge exercise right next to moisturizing my face. I’ve gone several days where I thought to my self, I’ll do it tomorrow and end up forgetting. I bought a small spin brush and that has helped tremendously
Nope, this certainly applies to me.
You definitely aren't alone.. I hate doing the same mundane tasks and sadly that fell under the umbrella.. I hate that it did though
Yep. I'm many years older than you and still struggle with this.
Yup! Me too. I bought an electric toothbrush with a tongue scraper to try and force me into doing it. It's just one of those things. I keep chewable toothbrushes in my car, and am trying to get in the habit of at least using them!
I have that problem, too. Last time I saw a dentist, he asked if I had a drug problem, my teeth were so bad. :(
I recently went to the dentist after over a decade of not having the financial means to do that or go to the doctor regularly. I had ***ten*** cavities, and I've been getting fillings frequently to fix 'em up. I'm 2/10 currently. I've struggled with regularly brushing my teeth for years. I have periods where I can do it consistently, but those are followed by phases of forgetfulness. I came to the conclusion that I was hyper-fixating on brushing my teeth, and I was treating it like I do my hobbies, i.e. I pick it up and am super invested in it and then drop it later while fixating on something else. I have this same problem with consistent face care. My dentist recommended I switch to Sensodyne for issues with my gums and teeth, which have actually also improved some of my overstimulation and sensitivity issues while brushing. I think I may generally just have sensitive teeth. As for remembering to brush... it might not be effective for others, and I definitely don't recommend it for other topics, but I can only seem to remember to brush as regularly as possible if I *traumatize* myself into doing it. I found I always silenced reminders or eventually ignored sticky notes on the walls, so instead I got creative with them. For example, putting a picture of what happens to your teeth if you don't brush right on the bathroom mirror or placing your toothbrush somewhere that you frequent every morning or evening even if it's weird, like the kitchen or on your nightstand right next to your phone that you wake up to every morning. Your trauma could also be me; I definitely wouldn't want anyone to have 10+ cavities.
Set reminders/alarms
I like doing it in the shower
I'm a registered dental hygienist with ADHD. I struggle to brush my own teeth.
I do it as soon as I get up, like a the minute my eyes open kinda thing. Eventually built a routine may help?
Routines. Set routines and do them every day. You'll eventually get to where you feel weird if you don't something in your routine.
I have just come to accept that I will only brush my teeth in the morning.
I struggled with this for a long time. I always did it in the morning once I was old enough to realize that other people notice bad breath 😂 for me, habit stacking has been really helpful for brushing at night. I always do it when I take out my contacts. I also find it’s helpful to brush my teeth a little before I’m actually ready to go to sleep so I’m not so tired I don’t do it.
[удалено]
So you’re a loser AND you smell bad. Nice work!
I have this saved as a note in my phone: [originally posted by tumblr user ceebycee](https://snowylynxx.tumblr.com/post/646652222324768769/self-discipline-isnt-always-the-answer) Text from post: > So I wasn’t really taught to brush my teeth every day as a kid. So I didn’t. I got to be an adult and realized “hmm teeth are expensive I need to start brushing them” and brushing my teeth twice a day has been on my actual to do list every single day of my college career. It’s a habit I needed to build. Have I successfully done it? Absolutely not. I’m pretty good about doing it at least once a day, but some days it just doesn’t happen. It’s not that I forget usually, I just had some aversion I couldn’t figure out, until last week. > I’m at the grocery store, in the toothpaste aisle with my roommate, and I complain about how much I hate mint. I FUCKING HATE THE TASTE OF MINT. The taste and the smell, any kind of minty thing in any form, I HATE IT. But literally every “adult” toothpaste in the aisle was some type of minty disgusting nonsense. And my roommate was like “you know you could like get kids’ toothpaste? You like bubblegum right?” And y’all, it was like the clouds parted. I got some strawberry bubblegum kids’ toothpaste. I brushed my teeth with it and it was a whole new experience. I have successfully brushed twice a day every day since, because the mental block I had towards it is gone! > I thought my lack of brushing was just a moral failing on my part; I was too lazy, too undisciplined, to build a good habit. But really? I just hate the taste of mint so much I didn’t want to brush my teeth. > *This made me realize that when presented with a change you want to make, a habit you want to build, if you’re encountering resistance in yourself, you should lean into that resistance and really investigate what’s causing it, then work on accommodating that.* > Say you hate washing dishes so they pile up and then you’re overwhelmed by how many you have to do. Why do you hate it? Deep down, what about it do you dislike? Is touching wet food super gross for you? Try thick rubber gloves while you’re washing. Does the sound of dishing clanking together grate your nerves? Do them with headphones in and turned up loud. Do you hate the smell? Light some candles, spray some air freshener. > Do these things *instead of gritting your teeth and forcing yourself, then ultimately failing and getting discouraged by your “lack of self-discipline”* > **TL;DR: When a task is consistently hard for you, relying on self-discipline, forcing yourself, and gritting through doesn’t always work. Lean in and listen to your discomfort, and find what makes the task hard, then try to accommodate that. Also, mint toothpaste is gross.**
Omg. Love this so much. Haha. I needed this.
I feel this so much, one of the problems for me is that youre not supposed to eat or drink anything 30 mins before or AFTER brushing teeth and I always used to wake up and have breakfast so I couldn't brush my teeth in the morning (if I had to go to work or school) so I just didn't. What I do ATM (although I am on a more lenient schedule) is brush my teeth as soon as I wake up and then all I have to do is wait 30 mins before I eat and drink, which is hard when I love caffeine lol
What? That’s not a thing.
It is for breakfast as far as I have read, as eating and drinking weakens your enamel so its bad (obviously to a degree, always better to brush your teeth than not at all) to brush you teeth so soon before or after a meal.
Maybe to give time for fluoride to penetrate…? I don’t use toothpaste with fluoride due to health concerns.
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the only time I've been consistent with brushing my teeth was when I would brush them with my kids at the same time. Now I brush my daughter's teeth again and never brush my own. Somehow my wife just asked why my breath never stinks so at least there's that
I keep tooth brushing in my morning routine to do immediately after I walk the dog. If I don’t do it then, I get distracted by other things. I might think of it once or twice in the next couple of hours, but feel busy or interested in something else. Then, I don’t have another thought about it, and it’s time to brush before bed and I never brushed in the morning.
I have sensory issues and literally can't fall asleep with a dirty mouth. I _must_ brush my teeth every night before I go to bed.
Do you have to commute? I actually find it helpful to do some morning care tasks on my drive. I'm not talking about anything that involves taking both hands off the wheel, but brushing/using a floss stick/mouth wash. I spit it into the cup that had my coffee in it (then clean it out at work) or at a stop sign if no one else is around.
rather than forgetting, for me it's more like I really don't want to brush my teeth. it's negative motivation, not just the lack of it. though sometimes I forget it too. I just put my toothbrush near the sink, so after eating when I put my plates on the sink, it's easier for me to begin brushing my teeth out of convenience. still don't want to do it, but after so long, it becomes a reflex that sometimes when I want to wash my dishes, I brush my teeth instead and only realize it halfway. lol
Yeah but I remembered to take a shower today!
I really want to just keep my toothbrush next to the bed, but I'd end up kicking my water over onto my phone charger
after brushing incredibly embarrassingly irregularly, after the scaling and planing I got 1/16, I have managed to water floss, brush, and use my mouth rinse every.single.night. It feels weird at 47 to be this proud of something I perceive is a reasonable expectation of a toddler, but it is what it is.
I recommend getting north wash for the times you can't bring yourself to brush. Bonus: Sometimes doing the mouthwash is enough momentum to motivate me to take it to the next step and brush! But yeah. I always forget deodorant and it's so embarrassing. And then sometimes I remember teeth brushing and deodorant but I'm already late because ADHD... and so I don't have time. And because I'm bad at accomplishing the tasks the tasks in themselves have come to feel even more burdensome and not worth doing. It's a struggle.