Do you regularly wash your teeth and shower? You undoubtedly consider yourself to be a clean person, yet this is often untrue. Most people neglect or miss a few items that might significantly affect their hygiene and, consequently, their long-term health. Keep reading to discover the hygiene practices that can harm you. Here are 20 “healthy” things to stop doing now.
Irregular bed linen changes
Some people make a concerted effort to avoid doing laundry. And it’s not just about clothes; bedding that hasn’t been cleaned in months (or longer) turns into a breeding ground for bacteria, fungi, dust mites, and more, and that’s just the beginning. Unwashed bed linens, as well as pajamas and clothing, can, in the worst case, result in a staph infection. Therefore, it’s crucial to replace the bed linens at least once or twice a week.
Using a mobile device on the toilet
This has become a habit for many of us. But bringing your phone with you into the toilet can have negative health effects in addition to the risk of it sliding into the toilet bowl. Particularly, the phone can absorb many bacteria and spread them to other places.
Hot showers
Do you enjoy taking long, steamy showers? Your health may suffer as a result of this in several ways. It not only causes dry skin but also a loss of essential oils. Additionally, the heat can cause peripheral blood arteries to expand and consequently reduce blood pressure. Therefore, you are advised to take as few hot and lukewarm showers as possible.
Irregular washing of underwear
Yeast infections, thrush, and urinary tract infections can result from infrequent washing of underpants. Thrush and yeast infections can lead to infertility and internal scarring; untreated UTIs can spread to the kidneys and result in sepsis, which can be fatal. The majority of women also tend not to wash their bras after every use. Unwashed bras retain oils and bacteria that eventually result in acne, rashes, or worse, much like unwashed clothes do.
Using public showers barefooted
Flip-flops exist for a reason. Bacteria, fungi, and mold can form on the shower floor when perspiration, hair, and urine are present. One method to contract ringworm, athlete’s foot, and nail fungus, to name a few ailments that are notoriously challenging to treat, is to go barefoot in a public shower.
Reuse towels
After a few showers, it’s typical to use the same towel again before washing it. However, towels that have been used a lot—or once in the gym—should be washed right away. Furthermore, they should never be shared because they are a perfect breeding ground for bacteria and human waste. Sharing sweaty towels can spread infectious diseases and serious skin issues.
Common toothbrush
Personal care products are a perfect example of a situation where being selfish is beneficial. Sharing isn’t always a good thing. Poor oral hygiene practices, for instance, are already bad enough; you most definitely do not need the bacteria from another person’s mouth to infect yours. According to the American Dental Association, using another person’s toothbrush can lead to the transmission of infection. Gum disease and potentially lethal illnesses including heart disease and diabetes are only a few of the aftereffects of oral infections.
Using the same sponge for too long
Ironically, the element of your kitchen that is filthy is the sponge you use to wash the dishes. They transform into vehicles for the spread of bacteria to your plates, pots, and utensils if they are not regularly cleaned and replaced. Make sure to completely dry them after each use and microwave your damp sponges for 120 seconds to remove 99 percent of the bacteria. You are letting sponges wallow in a puddle of your germs if you leave them on the bottom of the sink. Instead, get a plastic holder that you can put on the side of the sink.
Clean ears with ear swabs
Many people regularly remove their ear wax, but doctors advise against doing so. And for good reason—these ostensibly safe cotton swabs have ruined many lives by leading to anything from eardrum ruptures and infections to hearing loss. However, when you take a shower, enough water enters the ear canal to naturally dissolve the built-up earwax. The cotton swab should now be set aside.
Bubble Baths/Bath Bombs
After a long day, soaking in perfumed soap may seem like the ideal way to relax, but you can end up with infected and irritated skin instead. Your favorite bath bombs’ smells and harsh detergents can disturb the pH balance of the skin. According to experts, taking bubble baths raises your risk of experiencing unpleasant dryness, vaginal infections, and even bladder infections.
Hand sanitizer
If you use hand sanitizers regularly, your health may suffer more than benefit from it. The US Food and Drug Administration advises against using hand sanitizers that contain the synthetic compound triclosan because it is a poor and potentially harmful alternative to soap and water. Even worse, research indicates that prolonged exposure to specific active ingredients found in hand sanitizers may cause hormonal changes or Bacterial resistance, which could be harmful to human health.
Air dryer
Paper towels outperform electric dryers in terms of personal hygiene. Although according to studies, air dryers are healthier for the environment than are for paper towels. Electric air dryers can spread bacteria throughout the room, resulting in a contagious mist containing a variety of fecal bacteria, and they are impossible to remove completely after washing.
Washing hair daily
Although the majority of us have been groomed, pun intended, to frequently wash our hair, our locks may be suffering as a result. Even if you have oily hair, regularly washing it destroys the natural oils it requires, leaving you with dry, brittle locks.
Overusing moisturizer
It makes sense that you would want to apply lotion whenever you could if you had dry, itchy skin. This might not always be the best course of action, though. The experts at Garnier claim that using too much moisturizer at night can train the skin to generate fewer natural emollients over time, making it even dry. Your skin stops producing the moisture and nutrients it needs as a result, which just makes it worse and leads to a vicious cycle.
Brushing your teeth right after eating
Advocates of good oral hygiene sometimes go for their toothbrush after every meal, but that is a mistake. This is because some foods, especially those high in citric acid, can weaken dental enamel, and brushing your teeth too soon after eating might harm already-weakened enamel. Waiting at least 30 minutes after a meal is advised by experts to provide saliva time to neutralize oral acid and fortify the tooth enamel of these biters.
Peeling
Frequent exfoliation may make you feel like you’re taking extra good care of your skin, but in actuality, it could harm your epidermis—the skin’s top layer—and deprive your pores of an essential environmental barrier. According to Dermatology Alliance, when your skin fluctuates between being too dry and too oily, your glands produce more oil to make up for the imbalance. This results in skin that is caught in an unbalanced cycle. Instead of peeling, utilize weekly chemical peels that are paraben-free and safe to use.
Sneeze into your hand
Sneezing into your hand rather than into the abyss is preferable, right? Nope! You will spread disease if you touch people, money, or food after sneezing into your hands. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention claim that touching objects with infected hands can spread the majority of dangerous respiratory infections. Sneeze into the crook of your arm with consideration for those around you.
Use of scented sprays after using the toilet
While it may seem more hygienic to spray a room with a nice aroma than to let a bad stench linger, these sprays can be quite harmful to our health. Many popular house scents contain pollutants, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology, which raises the risk of asthma, eye and respiratory irritation, migraines, dizziness, and even memory issues. Making the move to an all-natural scent spray is a simple, quick, and beneficial change.
Aggressive tooth brushing
Aggressive brushing can wear down gums and tooth structure and cause several dental issues, especially when paired with an abrasive toothpaste like most whitening kinds of toothpaste. Many people don’t understand that when they brush their teeth too vigorously, they risk wearing away the enamel and doing irreparable harm to their teeth. Gum recession may also result from it.
Removing nose hair
Although no one enjoys nose hair, you should take precautions before removing it. Unwanted hair removal might make your hair follicles vulnerable to microorganisms that could make you ill. Additionally, nasal hairs protect you by preventing you from inhaling dust and other small particles.