Proper hygiene skills are important in maintaining your health and your relationships with other people. No one wants to be around someone who does not look or smell clean. While failing to stay clean can affect your social life, it can also increase your chance of developing an illness. Practicing good hygiene only takes a few minutes and will quickly become part of your daily routine.
Bathing
Daily bathing or showering washes away dirt and sweat that can cause odor. Use mild soap and plenty of hot water to wash every inch of your body. Pay particular attention to crevices and folds, as these areas can harbor dirt and odor. Shampooing hair on a regular basis helps wash away natural oils that build up in the scalp and cause odor. Clean hair also makes it easier to notice if you develop a scalp rash or lice, says the Education website. Keeping your body clean won't do any good unless you also wear clean clothes. Wash socks, underwear and outer layers of clothing after wearing to remove odors and dirt.
Preventing Body Odor
When you reach puberty, sweat takes on an unpleasant odor, due to the changes in chemicals secreted in perspiration. You may also begin to sweat more as sweat glands become more active under the arms and in other parts of the body. Daily bathing can help reduce odor by removing bacteria that mixes with perspiration to cause odor. Use a product that contains a combination deodorant/antiperspirant under the arms every day to reduce sweating and odor.
Care of Teeth
Brushing your teeth reduces bad breath and prevents dental decay due to a build-up of plaque. Plaque is a film made up of old food particles and bacteria. Plaque changes into tartar, a harder substance, if it is not removed by brushing and flossing. Plaque and tartar can cause cavities, inflamed gums, tooth abscesses and periodontitis, a serious dental condition that destroys the bones and ligaments holding the teeth in place. Brushing and flossing, combined with cleanings at your dentist's office, reduce the amount of plaque in your mouth. The MedLine Plus website, a service of the National Institutes of Health, recommends brushing your teeth at least twice a day, preferably at bedtime and after every meal.
Hand Washing
Germs are found on every surface you touch. If you don't wash your hands and then touch your mouth, eyes or nose, you transfer germs to your body that can lead to illness. Failing to wash your hands before you eat can transfer germs to the food you eat and can also cause illness. Use warm water and plenty of soap to wash hands before you eat, after you use the restroom and any time you touch dirty surfaces. Be sure to clean under the nails, as germs and dirt frequently become trapped under the fingernails.
Blowing Your Nose
Using a tissue to blow your nose or to catch dripping mucus from your nose prevents the spread of germs to other people. Throw away used tissues promptly; wash your hands after blowing your nose. Sneeze or cough into your elbow, rather than into your hand, to prevent transmission of diseases or illnesses, advises the Education website.
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