We learn about the main principles of self-care in childhood. Everyone understands how important it is to wash their hands and brush their teeth regularly. But oftentimes, we don’t even think about hygiene habits that can actually be harmful to us. Even the way we dry our bodies after showering and cut our nails matter.

We at Bright Side made a list of widespread hygienic mistakes that many of us make.

We always start to brush our teeth in the same place.

Experts don’t advise wiping yourself dry after a shower. With a towel, we remove dead cells that protect the skin. Instead, it’s best to wait for the skin to dry on its own, or gently pat it dry with a towel instead of rubbing.

We use scented pads and tampons.

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Scented feminine hygiene products can break the pH balance of the skin, leading to irritation. It is worth choosing hygiene products that don’t contain additional chemicals, such as fragrances.

We use too much toothpaste.

© PxHere, © 螺钉 / Wikimedia Commons, © CC BY-SA 3.0

Dentists don’t agree that the more toothpaste we use, the better it is for our teeth. Brushing your teeth with a lot of toothpaste can lead to fluorosis in children. This is enamel damage caused by excess fluoride, which can stain teeth with age and make them more prone to decay.

Fluorosis affects mostly children. But still, using too much toothpaste with abrasive particles combined with the hard rubbing of a toothbrush can cause enamel to weaken. You can avoid all these issues if you use pea-size amounts of toothpaste with each use.

We constantly use the same antiperspirant.

© Ana Essentiels / Unsplash

Over time, our bodies get used to antiperspirants. If we change them rarely, they no longer work against bad odors. Therefore, it is considered useful to periodically try antiperspirants of other brands.

We clean our ears but don’t wash behind them.

© Vladimir Gjorgiev / Shutterstock.com, © AlexandreNunes / Shutterstock.com

People shouldn’t be cleaning their ears at all. But if the body starts to produce a lot of earwax, which can lead to discomfort or hearing loss, it is better to consult a doctor who will carry out the necessary procedures.

At the same time, we often forget to clean the area behind our ears, even though it’s recommended to do so regularly. Without doing this, our skin can start to give off an unpleasant smell. In order to prevent this from happening, you need to wash the area behind the ears using soap and water on a daily basis.

Which of these habits do you have? What else would you add to the list?