Brushing and flossing your teeth twice a day every day is incredibly important for your oral health. But new habits are always hard to implement. For this reason, we have put together a quick guide on how to remember to brush your teeth every day without fail, read on to find out more.
If you experience any oral symptoms or want to check up, schedule an appointment at Trident Dental for a comprehensive oral examination.
Phone Reminder
Most adults take their phone with them everywhere, making it an incredible device to help you remember things you need to do throughout the day. All you have to do is set an alarm at a time that makes sense, such as after you wake up and before you go to work. Or at your bedtime. The drawback is that you may be in the middle of something and turn off the alarm and forget.
An Alarm in the Bathroom
Unlike the phone alarm, for this alarm, you will have to stop what you are doing and walk to the bathroom in order to shut it off. From there, you can grab your toothbrush and start brushing.
Set a Morning and Night Routine
If you’re one of those people who find themselves feeling groggy in the morning and awake at night, a routine is an incredible way to remind your body what comes next. Since compounding routines are often successful, think about what you do in the morning. If you get up and grab a cup of coffee, and get dressed, then grab your keys and walk out the door, could you place your toothbrush by your coffee pot to remind you? At night time before getting into bed, head to the bathroom and follow a checklist there too, washing your skin, face, and any other necessities such as medications, where you can place your toothbrush nearby.
Put the Toothbrush On Your Pillow
If you easily forget to follow a routine, or set an alarm, it might be best to buy more than one toothbrush and keep it in places that will remind you. For example, place a toothbrush on your pillow or nightstand, one next to your coffee pot or in your closet, or one in the shower when you shower, etc.
Brush in the Shower
Sometimes doing things together that remind you of other things is a good way to remember to brush your teeth. For example, if you wash your hair and body, why not wash your teeth too? Putting your toothbrush and toothpaste in the shower is a convenient way to remember to brush your teeth at least once a day when you shower.
Make a Bet
Put some money aside that you can earn back if you manage to brush your teeth for a certain amount of time. Set clear goals and write them down, and if you do not stick to those goals, give this money to charity. The key is to not put in so much money that you cheat, but just enough that you can buy yourself something nice as a reward.
Ask for Help
Do you have someone who lives with you? If so, you can ask them to remind you to brush your teeth when they do. After a while, you will fall into their routine and it will become easier for you to remember to brush your teeth. Accountability will also help you feel responsible, because if they forget to tell you, they may ask if you managed yourself.
Sticky Note It
Put a sticky note on your bathroom mirror, the inside of your bedroom door, and your front door. This way when you go to the bathroom you will remember to brush, and you can ask yourself before you leave the house if you still need to brush. If you find that you are not remembering and don’t have time to go back, place a toothbrush in your car too!
Put One in Your Purse
Carry a toothbrush with you wherever you go. This way, if throughout the day you suddenly remember you didn’t brush your teeth that morning, you can pop to the bathroom and take care of it. Maybe you have a busy, hectic morning with lots of things you need to do, which makes it impossible to remember a new habit. If this is the case, it’s better to brush later in the day than to not brush at all.
Use Apps
There are plenty of apps that you can use to help you to remember to brush your teeth. One of these is the tooth brushing motivator and mental-trainer on iTunes. This helps you stick to a brushing system that was invented by Dr. Einhardt Illing. This app will not just keep you on track but help you to brush your teeth correctly. There is also a mental-trainer that helps you do a technique called the Chi Gong exercise for mouth rinsing.
Pi Reminder on android will help to set up reminders that will alert you throughout the day. You can set up as many as you need to remind you to brush. Any.Do is also available on android and iPhones. This app is not free but has some amazing features for reminders and routines, including geo-location, so you can receive reminders based on where you are located. Finally, if you want to splurge, check out Oral B’s app, which can catch instances of gum bleeding, help you keep the correct pressure and more for a perfected brushing experience.
Invest in an Electric Toothbrush
Sometimes when we spend the money, we do the work. If you invest in a luxury toothbrush alongside a good water-pik, it may remind you to brush your teeth every time you see it, so as not to waste the money spent. A water-pik is also a very good idea if you’ve not been brushing your teeth often, as it will get at the plaque better than traditional floss.
Schedule Appointment
Contact us at Trident Dental to learn how we can help you with any questions or problems you might have about your oral routine, or which products you should be using in your mouth. We provide comprehensive dental services to prevent and treat any condition you might have. Plus, if you haven’t been brushing your teeth regularly, a check-up is important to ensure you keep cavities and other problems at bay.