Dental Hygeine: Day 7

Week 1 in review!

This, I have to admit, may not have been the most interesting habit to start with, but with everything I have learned about it to date, may be one of the most important.

This first week has really highlighted the reasons I have previously been so bad about brushing and flossing, I have no real schedule many days, and I get tired, stay up too late goofing off, and then rush to get to bed when I realize that it's 11pm, the LO is gonna need to be nursed (and maybe again at 2, and maybe again at 5) and if I don't get to bed RIGHT NOW, I am not gonna get enough sleep.

The cold hasn't helped the crazy lack-of-schedule, as I have done way more sleeping than usual, and my sickest days have been spent entirely in my PJs. I am happy to report that the antibiotics seem to be doing their job, and I feel a great deal better.

But, despite all that I have 6 days with twice a day brushing and flossing to be proud of. My teeth feel better, my gums don't bleed when I floss, and I think I am making real progress. Funny how really focusing on something can make a difference.

**Daily report, day 6***

Yep - another successful day yesterday! These daily reports are gonna get boring if I don't screw up soon. :)

My teeth feel REALLY Good.

Dental Hygeine: Day 6

That's a lot of teeth!



**Daily Report for Yesterday**

Day 5:

Another pajama/sleeping/wonky schedule day. I cannot wait to get healthy. But despite all that, another successful day of twice a day brushing and flossing. Finished off the old Listerine.

I can't help but wonder if starting this habit while I am on antibiotic is a good or a bad thing. A curious thought

Dental Hygeine: Day 5

Fun facts on the fives:

So I found results from an AAP (American Academy of Periodontology) survey. Some interesting results:

**50% consider the smile the first facial feature they notice
- probably true for me, although it would depend on whether or not they considered hair a facial feature.

**80% are not happy with their smile
- I am probably in this group. I am not happy with my 'smile for the camera' smile. But my spontaneous laughter smile is beautiful. Big difference there.

**32% of Americans cite bad breath as the least attractive trait of their co-workers.
-not me, BO is the worst, the absolute worst.

** 60% of people who don't know that a sore jaw, when combined with chest pain, can signal a heart attack-especially in women
- I did know this, but I would expect that most do not.

AND MOST AMUSING
**73% of Americans would rather go grocery shopping than floss.
- Now, I LOVE grocery shopping, so this is a no-brainer. But you wonder why it is that flossing is so universally unloved? It's not hard. It's not painful (usually) and it only takes five minutes. Why is it such an unpleasant experience for so many?

This was really entertaining. I wonder what else I can find between now and day 10?

**Daily report for yesterday**
Day 4

I managed to get myself into the bathroom to brush and floss twice yesterday. So my 'morning' stint was more like 11:30 am, but I did it. I really need an honest to goodness job, or at least to be not sick and therefore maybe, just maybe, get dressed before noon.

I need to be careful, I am starting to see the signs of brushing 'too hard' and therefore pushing back the gums on the left side. Gentle is still effective. This is usually the sign that it's time to replace my toothbrush. I will add it to the agenda.

Dental Hygeine: Day 4

Day 4

Well, I have started to get a real handle on the format of this blog. (Being honest here, I sorta jumped in with both feet and am now feeling my way along as I go).

I have decided that each habit will have 22 days (obvious, no?) and that each of those days will have a purpose/theme to go with it. But, in deciding the format of all this, I realized that I am off by a day, and therefore today will be used to plan ahead and bring myself up to date.

A typical 22 days:

Day 1: What? Wherein I discuss what my new habit will be, including what counts and doesn't and whether I am allowing myself any wiggle room.

Day 2: Why? The reasons I am forming this habit, some are personal reasons, some are more obvious.

Day 3: What is standing in my way? Why haven't I done this yet? Obstacles between me and my goal.

Day 4: Strategies for overcoming those obstacles.

Day 5: Fun fact on the fives: A fun fact/tidbit of info/story I know about the new habit. Something that makes this more fun.

Day 6: Silent 6, an image I have either taken or found somewhere that is related. These could be really interesting to find.

Day 7: Week in review. At this point I will be 7 days in to my new habit, and will re-evaluate how things are going.

Day 8: ??? Random thoughts, probably. Not reserved for anything in particular. This may get a designation later.

Day 9: A look back at previous habits and how I am doing with them.

Day 10: Another fun fact on the (multiples of) five. (Yay! alliteration)

Day 11: halfway 'how am I doing?'

Day 12: ???

Day 13: ???

Day 14: Week 2 in review.

Day 15: fun fact on the fives.

Day 16: silent sixteen (like silent six!)

Day 17: What's next? Wherein I start to plan ahead for the next habit. Thinking about what I am most in need of, and where I stand.

Day 18: How to. Sharing what I have learned about how to do something related to the current habit.

Day 19: Looking ahead: do I have any strategies in place to assure that the momentum for this habit keeps going past day 22?

Day 20: Fun fact on the fives.

Day 21: Week three in review.

Day 22: Celebration of success (discussion of failure is a possibility I suppose.)

Then I start again with a new habit and an improved me. If you have any suggestions on how to fill days 8,12,13, or 18 please feel free to leave a comment and let me know.

**Daily report from yesterday: Day 3**

I was good despite all obstacles to the contrary. I was miserably sick and slept almost all day, which means breakfast was late *and* I never got out of my PJs, but I did floss and brush about noon...shortly after 'breakfast'.

Then, I went to bed super early, but I did again floss and brush. Even sent the DH out for more Listerine so as not to slack there. I think that this habit is one of the few things making my cold more manageable, the pain in my upper jaw due to my sinuses has been beastly.

Three full days, going strong.

edited on April 8th to add a subject for day 18

Dental Hygeine: Day 3

Day 3.

How am I going to address the obstacles I discussed yesterday? I am going to do three things:

1) eliminate the ones I can. I will now brush my teeth immediately following dessert. That way, I am not yet super tired, and I don't whine my way out of it.

2) make it a priority. It is not in my best interest to skip brushing my teeth (see Day 1) and I won't let myself do it.

3) Accept compromise. If, in the morning, things get crazy and all of a sudden it's 10:30, I will go brush my teeth as soon as I notice. I have vowed to do this twice a day, within reason. I am not trying to form the habit of brushing my teeth at 8:43am and 10:04pm. But, in the morning after breakfast, and after dinner.

4) I am going to attach it to something I DO accomplish every day. After breakfast is when I change out of my pajamas. Change my clothes, brush my teeth. Same in the evening. PJs = toothbrushing.

Those strategies should take care of many of my obstacles. (Isn't obstacles a much more pleasant term than excuses?) and will set me on the path for success. I hope.

**Daily Report for Day 2**

I was very good yesterday, and although I wanted very badly to stay in my pajamas all day, and therefore bypass the whole tooth brushing thing, I did in fact get dressed and brush my teeth. It is really helping me feel better during this raging cold.

I also managed to brush and floss despite the fact that just as I was going to go to bed, the Little One demanded to be fed, so it was 30 minutes later when I finally got to 'go to bed' and I forced myself to brush and floss first anyhow. Progress. Definite progress.

Dental Hygeine: Day 2

Day 2.

So, for every habit, each day of that habit's progression will have a standard role to play. Or, at least, that's the plan. 22 days is a lot. We'll see how this works out.

Day 1 was the reasons this habit is a good idea.
Day 2 is the obstacles I see as most likely to stand in my way.

This one is easy.

I. Am. Lazy.

I nearly always brush my teeth before bed. Unless it's super late and I am ridiculously tired. Then I talk myself out of it. I mean, I could be asleep in the time it takes me to brush my teeth...or, I just spent 20 minutes feeding the baby, when I was gonna brush my teeth, so that time's gone...I deserve to just get into bed now, I only have three hours until the little one wakes up and needs to be fed again, need to grab that sleep NOW.

As for in the morning, I have never been one to brush my teeth BEFORE breakfast. What's the point? But after breakfast I am easily distracted, busy, I have an infant for crying out loud, and some days I have to get him out of the house to daycare, and some days I just need to keep him entertained!!

OK - there you have it. The excuses. See how I even have myself convinced?

So, those are the likely obstacles. Indeed, those are the obstacles to this habit. I am lazy and delusional. Tomorrow: how I address those obstacles.

**Daily report**

I've decided that the daily report will be for the entire day before. That way, I've included the whole day, rather than claiming what I 'will' do. If I were so good at doing things I intended to do, this whole blog wouldn't exist.

Day 1: Brushed and flossed yesterday morning and last night.

Bleeding is going down quickly, and I imagine I will rapidly get really good at flossing within short order. I will need to buy some more listerine soon, we are running low.

Dental Hygeine: Day 1

With each habit, I intend for day 1 to be a list of the reasons this habit is good for me. So, why have I chosen dental hygiene as habit #1? Several very good reasons.

1) I am sick right now. And with a sinus -based cold, my teeth start to hurt. Brushing and flossing twice a day will make my teeth and head feel better.

2) Rinsing with alcohol based mouthwash (I use Listerine) helps kill the lingering germs that get in my mouth, decreasing infection spread to my gums.

3) Dental hygeine has been shown to be linked to any number of chronic diseases. Keeping your mouth clean and in good health decreases your risk for diabetes, heart disease, and any number of other diseases I don't know about.

4) The pendulum swings both ways: I am at a very high risk for type 2 diabetes for a number of reasons, and people with diabetes tend to have much higher rates of periodontal disease and dental problems. By teaching myself good oral hygiene NOW rather than when I develop diabetes I will be better off.

5) Breath. 'nuff said.

6) I want to be in a good habit about this as my son gets older and just have him see that, 'this is the way it's done'. We all know, do as I say not as I do is an ineffective parenting strategy.

7) Because if my mouth is in better shape, I am more likely to go to the dentist for regular cleanings, which increases the health of my teeth over time. I will keep them longer, and I won't have to have any super painful procedures later on. Fact of the matter is, I hate the dentist because I hate pain. I equate the two. But if my teeth are in good shape, going to the dentist is less painful. (And I don't get a stern talking to when I go.) All good things

8) I still want a second child, and research has shown that good oral hygiene is highly correlated with healthy, full term babies.

Lastly,

9) Recently I have a member of my family who was sick, I mean truly sick, for three months with what presented as a gastro-intestinal bug. Puking...bathroom visits....the whole nine yards. Turns out, it was an infected root canal, but it took 3 months(!) to figure that out. And now she is in the painful process of getting that fixed (see #6). DO. NOT. WANT.

Dental hygiene is key to staying healthy.

Wow! Writing that list out really makes me realized how important this is. Good thing I have started off well.

***Daily Notes***

Habit: Dental care

Day 1: brushed, flossed , and rinsed with Listerine this morning, will do again before bed.

Truth be told, there is bleeding involved here, my gums are not in the best shape. But the act of brushing and flossing isn't painful, and I expect the bleeding to lessen over time. The whole process does make my sinus pain less unbearable, so that's a positive.

It takes 21 days to form a habit.

So 22 days guarantee one, Right?

Here's the schtick:

I am a 31 year old graduate student with a wonderful husband, an infant under 1 year old, and an Australian Cattle Dog.

I have been desperately trying to finish my dissertation over the last six months, and in the mean time, many of my better habits have fallen by the way-side.

This blog will track my progress as I bring each of those back and add a number of good habits that I am missing but would like to have; one by one, 22 days each.

First habit: dental care
Specifically, brushing and flossing twice daily.

I know, I know, not the most interesting habit, but one of the most important. So away I go.

Tomorrow is day 1 of habit 1. Off I go.

In the meantime, bear with me as I get this blog up and flying.