brush teeth twice a day

the majority of days, i am able to accomplish this. and if, by chance, i don’t… well, i feel scuzzy & a bit ashamed. i can see the impact that the implementation of this thing has made. i feel healthier & better about myself overall. in 2007, i know i picked up at least one good habit.

since i last wrote about this goal, i have flown to both los angeles and new york. both have been frenzied trips, by terms of traveling arrangements. so there were three days when either inaccessible luggage or sheer exhaustion have lead me to brush only once that day. however for 25 out of the last 28 days i have managed to brush at least twice a day.

it’s getting to the point where if i skip the second time, my mouth starts feeling really funky. it feels like my gums are irritated and my breath is bad. i attribute this to a true habit forming, which is exactly what i have been hoping.

twice a day, every day, at the least. usually three or four times a day. i’ve managed to floss six days a week, too. my dentist said my mouth is healthier than he ever thought it could be.

i’ve been on & off with this goal all year. at best, i’d manage to do it most days of the week, but there was always that one day where i’d be lazy about it.

now i’ve got fifteen days under my belt without skipping once. i’ve also managed to floss 14/15 days. i was a bit disappointed in myself for falling asleep without flossing on friday night, but i consoled myself with the thought that i can make daily flossing a goal next year, once i conquer this one.

dentist tomorrow. i hope he notices.

ten days of the new oral hygiene regimen. 2 times with the sonicare, two times with the manual brush, 1 time flossing, 1 time rinsing. i’ve never flossed so much in my life.

if i can keep this up through the end of the year, it must just be the biggest achievement on my list. [i created my 43 things to be completed within the time span of 2007, though this one should definitely extend beyond.]

i’ve been so good about sticking to this one. really! besides for the one night a week that i go out, i’ve been using my sonicare twice a day.

today i found out that i had forgotten about changing the head in a timely fashion. so i was essentially just spreading bacteria all over my gums. gross.

the goal for 2008 will be different considering that my dentist recently prescribed a regimen that includes twice a day with a sonicare, twice a day with a narrow bristled brush, mouthwash once a day and flossing five minutes a day. crazy!

But I am not doing it automatically – it takes effort to remember, so I still need to work on the goal.

...every day this week!

But it’s not a habit yet.

into this goal.

I’ve brushed twice a day only a few times in the past week…

I actually like flossing now. But I want to start regularly brushing twice a day, preferably after lunch and after dinner (breakfast doesn’t always happen anyway).

I’m not going to carry a toothbrush around with me every day, but I will buy an extra toothbrush and leave it in my desk at work.

Weekends… I’ll try to brush after my morning coffee.