Brushing teeth Bathing Undergarments and socks Cleaning after toilet Using public toilet Hygiene of private parts Mouth to mouth kissing
Definition
Personal hygiene means keeping our body clean in such a way that it would promote better health for ourselves and for those who are physically close to us. The disadvantages of neglecting personal hygiene include falling victim to communicable diseases of mild to severe nature, and also transmitting such disease to others. Certain aspects of personal hygiene are also treated under personal habits because, disregarding these can result in damaging our reputation and alienate those around us.
Brushing Teeth
Copyright: Robert B Grubh
Brushing after waking up in the morning and brushing before going to bed at night are important. If you do not follow this regularly you are likely to suffer tooth decay (caries) and you may lose some of your teeth prematurely.
You could also brush in the afternoon before going out if you do not have a mouth freshener at hand. Brushing teeth with extra soft brush will prevent injury to the gums. Use good quality tooth paste. Colgate is a widely used toothpaste for generations. However, you should make a choice based on available information about various brands, and your personal preference.
Cleaning between teeth
Cleaning between teeth is desirable in order to get rid of food particle accumulating here. This may be done by flossing or with the help of an inter-dental brush. For further information on cleaning between teeth you may refer to the American Dental Association. Water-jet flossing may harm your gums if not used within moderate speeds. It also does not replace regular floss. For a balanced view on this topic you may visit Ask the Dentist. Using air jet to floss is another innovation.
Bathing
Bathing or taking a shower in the morning is a must, and if possible in the afternoon/evening before going out shopping or visiting people. Bathing is necessary not only for cleaning your body (removing sweat, accumulated dirt, disintegrating dead cells of the skin, and germs) but also for feeling fresh and for removing disagreeable body odour. Substituting bathing with deodorants would only aggravate the body odour.
Undergarments and socks
Your undergarments and your socks are close to your skin, hence are easily contaminated by the dead epithelial tissue, sweat, germs and other infective material that may be found there, and cause foul smell. If the undergarments are not changed daily, these may become potential carriers of several diseases including pinworm and human papilloma virus (HPV).
When we reuse socks without washing, these would not only harbour germs but also, especially in young people (a higher score for the males!), emanate overpowering and repulsive odour. Click this page of our website to read more about stinking socks.
Cleaning after toilet
The most hygienic way to clean yourself at the rest room is to use water. Will it be messy? Do I have to dirty my fingers? Absolutely not. Following proper hygienic procedure will help you prevent reinfection of parasites such as pinworm and urinary tract infections, among other things. There are three satisfactory methods to clean yourself at the restroom. Back to Top
Method 1. Using toilet jet spray
Toilet Jet Spray
Using toilet jet spray is the most hygienic and economical way for male or female to clean yourself without touching. This hand-held device is economical, handy, easy to use and not messy. You can save much money on toilet rolls, too. You may use only a small piece of tissue paper, afterwards, to dry the area if you are particular. Since the jet spray can be used to clean the front part as well as the bottom independently, it helps prevent transmission of disease organisms, especially from the anal region into the urinary tract causing serious urinary tract infections. Excellent toilet jet spray fittings are available in the market at affordable prices, specially online (Toilet Water Jet Spray).
Method 2. Using toilet paper
Using toilet tissue paper to wipe is a handy option to clean the bottom when proper facility is not available to use water. The disadvantage in using toilet paper is considerable, though. The anal area never gets fully cleaned even after repeated wiping and wasting a good amount of tissue paper. (Wet-wipes will help, but are costly and may not flush well.) Apart from leaving a lingering smell, however insignificant it may be, this method also may leave germs and eggs of intestinal parasites, such as pinworm, on the skin, which can be transmitted either through your hand or your undergarment. Essentially, it is a primitive method that has gone into wide use and it urgently calls for a relook (click Backwash to see Japanese advancement in this).
Those who are stuck with no other way except to use toilet paper, do use it by all means. However, ladies, please remember to take the precautions given in this page under ‘Hygiene of private parts’, below.
Method 3. Using water and hand
It is not a pleasant method, but under several unavoidable situations, it is fine as long as you can use soap and water to wash your hand clean. Then again, ladies, remember to take the precautions given below in this page under Hygiene of private parts.
Using public toilet
Using a public toilet (restroom) is often like crossing a busy road that has no pedestrians crossing. You have to guard yourself against many invisible hazards such as various types of disease germs and other tiny infecting organisms that may be lurking in the fittings found there, which you will have to use.
Since the public toilet seat is particularly notorious for harbouring several disease organisms, avoid direct skin contact with it. You could use toilet tissue paper to cover it. Disposable toilet seat covers are available, and it is worth carrying a few in your handbag.
Clean your hands after touching any faucet (water tap) in the restroom. Wash your hand that turns the door handle that lets you into the restroom; and use a tissue paper to protect your hand which turns the door handle that lets you out. Also, do ensure that you yourself do not pass on any of your infections, inadvertently, to others through the restroom. Some time you may even be carriers of an infection that is on you without perceptible symptoms, hence you may not be aware of it. So do be thoughtful and also make it a habit to be kind to others.
Hygiene of private parts
These are often neglected areas of the body because these are hidden away. However, unhygienic condition of the private parts is responsible for several mild to serious ailments. Unknowingly or not, the ‘dirty’ persons may not only harm self, but also become responsible for inflicting various infections and resultant suffering to their dear ones. You can see more of this under Urinary tract infections and Cervical cancer.
For males
Those who are adolescent and above, do make sure that your private parts are cleaned well at least once a day. All adolescents and older males who have not undergone circumcision must push back the foreskin and clean it with plenty of water. Make sure that the rest of the private areas too are kept clean.
For females
Females of all ages above toddlers must be taught to clean their private parts in a proper manner. Mothers or other female guardians must teach them not to clean the front after cleaning the bottom. Those who use toilet paper must be taught to wipe from front to back; never back to front. For the rationale behind these guidelines, please view the following pages of this website.
Mouth to mouth kissing – do not take it lightly
Mouth to mouth kissing or lip-locking as against a peck on the cheeks can invite trouble in the form of health and moral hazards. You may visit the following sites on the Internet, which tell us something about kissing.
- WebDental (about diseases through kissing)
- Kiss of Death (about diseases though kissing)
- Mathew L Jacobson (saving kissing for marriage). Written by a Christian with a universal message)
A friendly advice
Do not go beyond a polite hug or a peck on the cheeks, to anyone other than your husband or wife. Husbands and wives, too, please keep mouth-to-mouth kissing to your private selves instead of making it a public performance, as a consideration for growing children and as a good example for the modern youth.
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