Taking care of teeth.

What is your prompt, or cue, that you need to do floss and brush? Meaning, what is the anchor in your existing routine that tells you that it is time to floss and brush?

That's a good question @Tart Cherry Jam, I think part of my problem is that I don't have one. I mainly floss whenever I remember it when I'm watching TV at night, and then if I'm motivated, which I'm usually not, I'll go brush. It would probably be helpful if I tied it to something like after taking my night meds.

Did manage to floss and brush yesterday.

Relying on motivation is not a useful approach because it waxes and wanes. Same goes for relying on memory. You need a steady prompt and taking your nighttime meds sounds perfect.

You're absolutely right @Tart Cherry Jam.

I brushed and flossed yesterday. I did it right before taking my night meds, so I'm going to see how I do with using my meds as a clue.

Flossed, but didn't brush yesterday.

Flossed the last 2 nights. Also brushed last night.

Just flossed, planning on exercise, shower, and brushing tonight.

Thanks for creating this thread. I feel like ive been alone in this since i was a kid and my mother tried to make me use sewing thread instead of floss, but i hated it, it REALLY hurt my gums. I didnt even know you could buy floss at the store.

I'm going to try out that anchor habit thing mentioned in this thread, where you tie a daily habit to another. So I'm gonna try brushing and flossing in the mornings/nights after taking my meds. I definitely find motivation is unreliable so maybe this will help. About to brush and floss now

Flossed and brushed yesterday.


And in good news, my gums have actually stopped itching, which is something I've dealt with for the past couple of years, so I think that's an improvement.

of course! a huge improvement. Keep it up

Flossed and brushed yesterday, I have a dentist appointment for a cleaning in a few weeks, and I'm really wondering if they'll see a difference from my norm, based on the increased cleaning I've done in the past few weeks. I hope so.

Is an electric toothbrush worth it? Just curious, I've always used a manual one and am wondering if I should get an electric

Yes, it is worth it, but if you brush twice daily, you either need two heads that you alternate between or need to do electric once a day and manual the second time on that day. This is because your brush needs to get completely dry between uses.

Thanks for that info @Tart Cherry Jam, I didn't know that about electric brushes, but it makes sense to me. For me, the electric brush has definitely been worth it, as I find I'm brushing a bit more consistently since getting it. But it's not a magic fix.

Thank you for starting this thread @splitimage and for nudging me to brush twice a day @unaluna. I decided to build a new habit of brushing when I come home from work and then waiting 30 minutes before eating. I started yesterday, using a manual Doctor Plotka toothbrush. I am now about to go home from work and the first thing I will do at home will be brushing my teeth. This is not as good as brushing before bedtime but it is better than brushing only once a day. Wish me luck!

Yeah i think about you guys when i face my bathroom mirror now.

Oh - like the idea of a bunch of us MSF people brushing and flossing and thinking of each other. I know posting here has definitely helped motivate me. Brushed and flossed yesterday.

Brushed after work for the third day in a row. It seems to be a simple habit to make because the prompt (coming home from work) is very clear, the activity is easy (does not take much ability) and the result a pleasant clean sensation.

I feel sensitivity on one side of my upper teeth when I brush. No pain outside of brushing, but still. If it continues, I will make an appointment to see my dentist.

Didn't manage to brush or floss yesterday. I think I've figured out that on nights I work, I need to do it before going into work, as I'm just too tired when I get home.

I totally get it. I find it very hard to do things when I am tired, even if those things are not hard for me when I am well rested.

Flossed yesterday.

Take a look at the diagram of Fogg behavior model here: Fogg Behavior Model | Behavior Design Lab. This is the model on which the Tiny Habits method is based. When you are tired, the activity of flossing and brushing becomes relatively hard to do. So along the X axis, you are close to 0. Your motivation also suffers when you are tired, so you are close to 0 on the Y axis, too. You are below the action line, where prompts fail.

Right now, you are engaged in fruitful behavior design where you figured out why on nights when you work you need to do flossing and brushing before going into work. It is very good that instead of beating yourself up, you are curious about the causes and opt for behavior design over self-chastising. That is the way to go!

This weekend, I have managed to brush my teeth twice a day. Yesterday, I brushed after coming home from shopping at Trader Joe's in the afternoon, and today, after my trip to an outdoor swimming pool. I have also ordered replacement heads for my Oral-B toothbrush because the original head has become worn out (I must say, it has served me longer than I expected). The sensitivity on one side of my upper teeth is gone, so maybe I won't need to make an appointment with the dentist now. I will see her for cleaning in late August–early September anyway. I think it can wait until then. @splitimage, thank you for opening this thread. I hope you continue on your behavior design journey and will cement your good habit.

Thanks and way to go @Tart Cherry Jam.

Flossed and brushed yesterday.


I'm starting the Tiny Habit program today, so I'm hoping that will provide additional motivation this week.

Flossed but didn't brush yesterday.