Personal hygiene refers to practices designed to maintain or improve one’s health, reduce sickness transmission and boost confidence and social interactions.
Feminine hygiene refers to a form of personal care that encompasses skin around the vulva and vagina, including cleaning and grooming of that area, along with washing, sanitizing and changing tampons or pads frequently.
Brush your teeth
Everyday we come into contact with millions of germs that can linger on our bodies and make us sick. Good hygiene practices help prevent illness by keeping you clean.
Brushing your teeth is an integral component of personal hygiene, helping remove food debris and plaque, the sticky mix of bacteria and sugars that adheres to teeth. Left unattended, plaque can lead to gum disease and bad breath; brushing twice daily for at least two minutes with fluoride toothpaste on a soft bristled toothbrush will keep both your gums and teeth in great health; don’t forget to also clean off your tongue which often contains bacteria that contribute to bad breath!
Poor oral health can contribute to serious health conditions, including dementia and heart attacks, pregnancy complications and reduced chances of healthy babies at birth. Therefore it’s crucial that we brush, floss and use mouthwash regularly in order to promote good health in ourselves and those around us.
Wash your hands
Clean hands are essential to good personal hygiene, removing germs that could potentially make us sick. Exercising good hand hygiene practices may help you prevent food poisoning, flu and diarrhoea outbreaks.
Be sure to use regular soap, not antibacterial variants, and rinse well afterwards. Wet your hands in clean running water at an acceptable temperature before applying soap. Rub your hands together until they create a lather before scrubbng all surfaces of fingers, palms, backs and thumbs as well as under fingernails and wrists – don’t forget under fingernails and wrists too! When choosing regular over antibacterial soap be sure to rinse your hands properly afterwards!
Before and after using the restroom and changing your tampon or pad, regardless of its length of your period. Also be sure to cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing by covering with tissue or your elbow – this helps prevent spreading germs to others. Lastly, always dispose of used sanitary products properly by wrapping them securely with toilet paper or paper towel before throwing away immediately.
Change your underwear
Underwear changing is one of the easiest and most essential aspects of personal hygiene. Prolonged exposure to your same underwear may lead to infections, odors and itching in intimate areas – changing it out every day with hot water and an effective detergent can prevent such issues from developing.
All day, sweat and body oils accumulate on your underwear fabric, and wearing it again could result in skin irritation and itching in sensitive areas if made from synthetic materials that don’t breathe. Furthermore, dirty underwear could contain fecal matter which could lead to yeast and bacterial infections if worn again.
Your underwear should be regularly washed, and ideally natural fabrics like cotton that breathe are best. Tampons should be changed every four to eight hours and menstrual cups sanitized after every use; in case of an accident and forgotten laundry duties it’s okay to continue wearing clean underwear so long as it fits comfortably and you do not feel self-conscious in it.
Change your tampon or pad
Keep your vagina clean as part of female hygiene. Women can do so using sanitary pads or tampons as well as loose-fitting underwear that allows airflow into their intimate area. Furthermore, it’s essential that hands be washed before and after touching menstrual products since bacteria could potentially lead to infections of the vagina.
Pads are made of soft materials designed to absorb blood, and come in various sizes. Their shapes may include rectangles or ovals for easier carrying and are often wrapped individually for convenient transport. Some people prefer using tampons – cotton- or rayon-based products inserted directly into vagina to absorb menstrual flow – with plastic applicators equipped with pull strings at either end that allow removal.
As per recommendations, it is advised to change pads or tampons every 4-8 hours, depending on flow and absorbency requirements. Furthermore, it should be wrapped up and placed in the trash instead of flushed down the toilet.
