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I suspect it’s because we all feel like huge failures even though dental hygiene problems are so common. The little voice in my head hopes I know how disgusting I am and how I’m the only person this disgusting in this fashion and that makes it harder. https://twitter.com/bennessb/status/1250087395132944385
My teeth are in good shape now but I didn't go to the dentist for a decade, and my mouth was a mess because of depression, so it took thousands of dollars and quite a few dental surgeries to get where I am.
I still have a couple shortcuts/workarounds to try to keep up on my dental health. I always brush my teeth in the shower, for one, so I will always brush then. I also always TRY to brush right before crawling into bed for the night and manage it probably 6/7 times.
I keep dental flossers on hand, like at my desk, so I will remember to floss at some point throughout the day, usually while doing something else, distracted, so I don't get overwhelmed. (This probably sounds like a weird sentence if you're not a crazy person like me...)
I also keep dental floss in my car so I can floss while driving around, and a toothbrush too in case I'm having a really busy couple of days and keep missing it. The more convenient it is, the likelier I am to do it.
I'm aware it's gross to take care of my teeth in weird places but it's grosser not to take care of my teeth at all, not to mention painful and expensive, so I focus on harm reduction. (Harm reduction is the name of the game for managing most of my mental illness symptoms)
I only needed so many teeth to rot straight out of my head before I turedn into someone who is scrubbing her teeth at a long stop light.
Side note, I never use toothpaste because it makes it messier, and my teeth are actually quite fine without it. You don't really need it. Just get the plaque off, floss down in the gums (SAVAGE THOSE GUMS), and be patient with yourself my fellow crazies
btw, I didn't know how to floss properly until I saw a dentist as an adult. I thought you were just getting food from between your teeth. I didn't know you were supposed to scrape the tooth below the gum line. If you have inflamed gums, this hurts!
But as you do it more, as your mouth gets healthier, the inflammation will reduce and it stops hurting. I am now really rough with my dental floss and my gums are like STEEL.
"I didn't know how to do this common life skill that everyone should be doing daily" is kind of the story of my life, and a very embarrassing one, but I wanted to mention it in case you are like me and find comfort knowing you're not alone in your cluelessness.
