i believe that everyone is concerned somehow of how they look, and at a certain extent, becomes obsessed with maintaining the look. of course, hygiene is very important, but i know there are some that you are somewhat obsessed with doing. so i want to ask everyone if you have some obsession when it comes to hygiene.

personally, i am obsessed with keeping my teeth as clean as possible. i have developed a daily routine for myself and i spend so much time just to have that contentment when it comes to cleaning my teeth. i also have a monthly routine for whitening my teeth using stuff that can be found on my kitchen.

so for cleaning my teeth, i spend about 10 minutes max brushing my teeth without using toothpaste to get rid of the dirt that has attached to my teeth. i even look at the mirror just to make sure i don't miss a tooth for cleaning. personally i feel like i want my teeth to be clean first before i apply toothpaste, just like the routine of using facial products (ie. using soap and cleanser to start off with taking care of the face). then after i clean my teeth, i put on a small amount of toothpaste on the toothbrush, about the size of a peanut, and brush my teeth again for the same amount of time, also taking care of the tongue, cheek and gums. after that, i gargle with water and put a very tiny amount of toothpaste and brush for about 5 minutes. if i have mouthwash, that last routine is replaced with gargling with a mouthwash.

my monthly routine of whitening my teeth requires lemon (i use a local equivalent called kalamansi or lemoncello) and baking soda. i put the baking soda on the brush and squeeze the lemon on it. bubbles will form which i use to brush my teeth. you could also use hydrogen peroxide as substitute for lemon.

i also do flossing almost everyday (and especially during days when we eat meat) because i get frustrated when specs of meat gets stuck on my teeth.

 

 

 

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My obssesion in keeping my hands as clean as possible. i've nearly dried out my hands from washing thm so much.

You really shouldnt use lemon juice or anything acidic on your teeth. You'll end up with all the enamal that protects ur teeth gone, and it wont come back. your safer off using white strips.

 

 

 

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that's the point of doing it as a "monthly routine" i'm not stupid just to do something reckless. subtle amounts of acid will help clean the surface of the tooth and rid it of the color brought by food and drinks like coffee. and fyi, the point of using toothpaste is to strengthen the enamel of the teeth. if you're careless not to clean your teeth then the enamel will surely be gone.

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im deff obsessed with keeping my hair clean, and looking good. c:

i used to eat/drink so, so much lemon(s)
grr thats why im obsessed with keep my teeth nice and clean (y)

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i use to be addicted to sanitation.. i would freak out about using public restrooms soooo much. i would flush the toilet with my foot take toilet seat covers with my everywhere and overly wash my hands. i would even wait for someone to open the door ahead of me so i wouldn't have to touch the door handle. then i saw a 20/20 special that talked about all the gross germs and bacteria that are everywhere not just in the restroom. so i began to constantly use hand sanitizer.. after a while i began to notice that i got sick more often. then my dad looked it up and told me that if you use hand sanitizer too much it can kill some of the normal bacteria that is on you hands and body.. i got tired of being scared of everything so i dont care anymore.. i stll wash my hands thouroughly though lol. now i am addicted to keeping my complexion oil free... ya me!

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I doubt this counts, but I have an obsession with clean dishes. I smell and feel a dish before I use it. If it stinks, I put it back into the dirty pile in the sink. If I feel one crumb stuck to it, I will scrub the dish for a long time until it comes out. I can't stand it when there is food left on a plate. When my mom washes dishes, I usually have to rewash a few. I hated when I visited a relative or a restaurant that has food stuck on their dishes and silverware. If I see even one crumb at a restaurant, I will scrub that piece with a napkin until it comes out. I don't know what germs were in the last person's mouth! If a restaurant gives me too many dishes or silverware with dirty things, I wont go back or I'll order take out instead. (Take-out would be for a restaurant that was very delicious and couldn't be matched in taste) Plus, I remember the story where people got hepatitis (I don't know which) because the guy got cut and they didn't trow the salad away. They didn't wash it properly at the least and 30 got infected. That little crumb will show how far they work on cleaning in the kitchen.

I also freak out in public restrooms. I turn the water on, wash my hands with a ton of soap, grab for a paper towel, dry my hands, and then turn off the faucet with the wet paper towel. I hate that there are so many germs. And you have to think where people are wiping! *shudders*

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I ain't obsessed with cleaning but I do do alot of it, since if you're too clean your body's immune system will become very wea so when you do catch a disease it'll be hard to get rid of. I do wash my hands and such

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At last, a thread worthy of response from an admitted obsessive-compulsive Misanthrope! From day one, I have been obsessed with germs/bacteria/disease and the avoidance thereof, and this compulsion has only become more pronounced as emerging viruses converge on a public more concerned with Paris Hilton's jail term than personal hygiene. Not to mention the distressing fact that all manner of diseased individuals are being allowed entry, albeit illegally, into the United States. This as opposed to legal immigrants who undergo at least some degree of health screening, though still not satisfactory by pre-Bush standards.

Thanks to these lax policies on illegals, we now have leper colonies in the United States. Americans need to know that diseases previously eradicated are making a comeback due directly to the HUGE influx of illegals from Mexico and other nations. In addition to leprosy, illegals come bearing gifts of TB (tuberculosis) and polio. Health officials believe America could be on the verge of a leprosy epidemic, so yes, I am quite obsessive regarding hygiene and avoiding population centers where these diseases are already endemic, like New York City.

In my own backyard, I wash my hands frequently when out and about, and if possible, wear gloves in public places. That isn't so difficult in the winter, but in the heat of summer, I tend to garner funny looks pushing my shopping cart whilst donning gloves. Perhaps they wouldn't caste those sideways glances if they could only see the swarming teems of vile bacteria infesting their own shopping carts. One of the stores I shop at has started providing sanitizing toilettes to wipe off cart handles before usage, and they even dispense plastic gloves in their bulk food isle. But everyplace else, I wear gloves of some sort another. If by some cruel quirk of fate I forget my gloves, I just take every opportunity to wash my hands - even going so far as to return to the store after loading up my groceries in my car to wash them. Under no circumstances do I ever touch a public door handle with my bare hand. If I don't have gloves on I'll use part of my shirt to grasp the handle with, often wrenching myself into a queer looking position to do so. Yes, people stare at that too, but oh well. I'm not the one returning home with a newly acquired cold virus. I'm happy to say I haven't had one for several years due these obsessive tendencies. And I'm not going to let them inject me with the plague, either!

Another little hygienic trick I've picked up heralds from the distant land of India, and involves cleaning out your nostrils after exposure to the public. It can be as simple as blowing the snot out of your nose or using a device called a "neti" pot. It amounts to snorting some salt water up your nose and blowing out viruses that may have lodged in your nasal passages while out fraternizing with the diseased populace. There are times, however, when nothing short of total fumigation (for the body) and exorcism (for the soul) can completely do the trick where this is concerned.


Who is this infidel who dares discount the use of natural substances to care for the body? Lemon juice sounds like a superior (and cheaper) alternative to "strips," and I plan to give them a try as prescribed by the Master.

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I was going to agree with the use of lemon on your teeth being a really bad idea, but then I read MB's entire first post and realized my concern is baseless because of the baking soda. The PH of lemon is quite low, probably around 2.5 (acid) but since it's being neurtralized with baking soda (alkaline), thus the bubbles just like if you put the soda on the terminals of a car battery, it's perfectly safe. Just be sure you use both, and don't forget the baking soda. Acid will eat your teeth just as sure as a can of Coke will for the very same reason. It's not the sugar in the Coke that eats your teeth, it's the Phosphoric Acid that eats them! Thanks for sharing MB!

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i'm over with my hair. i get a buzzed cut every now and then to keep my hair short. i still use shampoos and conditioners, but not that much, since i have short hair and it doesn't have to be maintained that much. however i have to keep my scalp in check because i don't want to get dandruff and probably lice.


public restrooms are the worst. i know how you feel. i flush the toilet using my feet, but i'm not too obsessed, that i had to bring my own toilet seat. i could just wash my hands and maybe rub some alcohol or hand sanitizer.

your dad is right, there are some good bacteria that resides on our skin. it's the first line of defense of the skin. all the germs that go to our skin are killed by these good bacteria. so it's not really advisable to be too much obsessed with getting rid of bacteria. in some countries, it's the reason why they don't take a bath more than once per day.


whoa. that's so much obsession. obsessive compulsive as they say. i think i've seen one case like that before while watching tv. and she constantly smells the dishes and cleans it more if she thinks it doesn't smell clean. i don't know if it's disturbingly alarming, but i think it's just normal to want to be clean.

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