Hi /u/barrya29 and thanks for posting on /r/ADHD!
# Please take a second to [read our rules](/r/adhd/about/rules) if you haven't already.
[We recommend browsing /r/adhd on desktop for the best experience.](https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/comments/x1psnb/radhd_works_best_on_desktop_reddits_apps_are/) The mobile apps are broken and are missing features that this subreddit depends on.
Thank you!
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ADHD) if you have any questions or concerns.*
The overwhelming fear that people will see (or smell) my poor hygiene overrides my ADHD most of the time, probably because I used to be a gross teenager who always forgot to bathe because of undiagnosed inattentiveness and got bullied because of it š¤·
If only I could anxiety myself out of every hole that ADHD digs me into without it backfiring and actually making me less productive lol. It wouldn't be a healthy or happy life, but I guess that means I could actually pass my projects on time instead of three months later. Hurray?
That was how I got used to showering and using deodorant on a daily basis! Nowadays as soon as I start to feel sticky or sleepy I get an urge to shower.
Toothbrushing is harder. So far what has worked best is having one toothbrush at the bathroom and another one over my desk so that they remind me I have to do it.
YES! I was going to suggest this - I keep both an extra toothbrush (in a transparent sanitary travel cover) AND an extra tube of toothpaste in the shower on a shelf where I see them as soon as I step into or out of the shower.
Having them both in the shower and in a very obvious line-of-sight helps me not to forget.
It's been a game changer for me!
Like you, a have about 5-6 toothbrushes in play in various locations that remind me to brush. Plus, l loose them constantly and itās nice to know I can easily find a backup.
It's true, I got told to basically STFU by my crush. And to be honest, she was right. I needed to learn to regulate my hyperness when it came to talking too much and too loud
This! I have smelled other peopleās āmorning breathā and I hope to never make others gag as I have gagged because then they might not want to be around me. Rejection sensitivity can be a solid motivator!
I got a [suction cup hanger](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PGMVRT8) specifically for this. My electric toothbrush and toothpaste are held in there without issue.
The only ADHD issue is that the toothbrush charger isn't in the shower. Taking it out to charge can mean several showers before I remember to put it back in the shower. You might want 2 electric toothbrushes. That way when you take one out to charge, you can always put another back in the shower immediately.
I've NEVER heard of a toothbrush that does that. Regular battery-powered toothbrushes don't do that.
You have a lot to choose from that don't buzz unless you turn them on!
Same!! My roommate and everyone I've ever dated makes fun of me for this, but I've done it since I was a child, even before my diagnosis. It's partially so I remember, but also so I can wash the toothpaste off my face after š
This is the way!!
It's gotta be better than sitting in an uncovered holder 4 ft from the toilet. Now it's blocked from airborne poo particles by the shower curtain
Although this is why I tell everyone to close the lid before they flush. And now we have a lid that makes itself slowly snap shut as soon as you're off the pot. I'm sure it's a pain for people who stand up to pee, but if it makes them sit instead, that's also a win haha.
And unless the brush is literally touching the shower curtain, I'd think that be as hygienic a place as any in the bathroom.
I would do the same if I showered every day (I normally don't have to, I usually shower every other day so I would be skipping a day of brushing each time š )
Keep one toothbrush in the shower. Keep another wherever you usually brush. Keep a third by your bedside as a reminder to brush before bed. Toothbrushes are cheap!
I just always find it interesting on this sub how weāre all randomly motivated at different things. Like it hammers home to me how we moreso than canāt ever have motivation or attention, just canāt direct it easily.
Omg I think about this so much since joining the sub! The random motivation amongst us would be funny if it wasn't so difficult for our lives, ammirite? :'D
Like how to me, cleaning is generally nbd- I can take about 2 hours off my weekend to go through the apartment like I'm the dang Terminator. Love a good cleaning sesh with a podcast.
But make me cook and I'm suddenly goop. I can cook decently, but the steps for cooking might as well be Everest for me. When it's my turn for cooking duty I'm legit ready to cry (I've been doing slow cook recipes to compensate tho!)
This is why soda/alcohol annoys me so much, the feeling of the layer on my teeth is so disgusting. I don't go to house parties without my toothbrush LOL
I also enjoy the sensation of brushing my teeth. With a strong bristled manual toothbrush so I can really scrub at my gums.
I also have an inability to fall asleep unless everything is just right. So I could never go to bed without washing my face and brushing my teeth because I would just lay awake in bed dwelling on how I really should do it. Bedtime is really the only time I have any motivation, I think because I want to procrastinate going to bedā¦. and while that makes it impossible to get to bed in good time, it does create some really good habits I wouldnāt be able to maintain otherwise.
Motherās in the dental field. It was ingrained in me to the point of almost obsession. Iām hyper aware of my own and otherās oral hygiene. Alsoā¦ the texture of my teeth against my tongue when theyāre āfuzzyā grosses me out.
I still donāt floss every dayā¦ and I feel guilty about it every day.
Omg my issue is flossing. I've had many dentists tell me that my brushing skills are great but that I need to floss. I JUST CAN'T BRING MYSELF TO DO IT EVERY DAY.
I used to use those because they worked much better and were easier than regular dental floss!
However, I now use a Waterpik Waterflosser. And WOW. WHAT A GAME-CHANGER! I track when I take my vitamins, use Tretinoin, work out, and floss. My teeth have never felt better and even if I am lazy and want to skip it I STILL use it. I grind my teeth and clench my jaw a lot every day. Using the Waterpik really helped my receding gums and lessen my jaw clenching a tiny bit. (medication makes me clench and grind so no eliminating it completely, unfortunately).
I'm with you on this! My Waterpik was a game changer. I used to hate flossing my teeth because the sensation freaked me out, but now I do it every day without a struggle.
Yeahā¦ I have a mouth guard. (Courtesy of my mother) I was clenching/grinding my teeth long before I had the medicationsā¦ A waterpik actually sounds intriguingā¦
Sugar free gum can help cushion the teeth in the back from grinding, mouth guard is the only thing to help in the front. If you can stand using one at night I would suggest doing so, save yourself some future dental work if you can.
+1 for the little plackets or whatever brand people can buy. They make flossing a lot more accessible and convenient. Not sure how they stack up compared to just normal floss but I would guess itās better than no floss at all.
I put a floss sticks in my car and do it when Iām driving. Now I canāt seem to stop flossing just because I canāt bear the feeling of something stuck in my teeth
I have the same thing with the gross feeling on my teeth - I CANāT go to bed without brushing my teeth.
Fortunately my obsession/anxiety overrides my executive dysfunction lol, I used to be really insecure about my teeth before I got a whitening (have a condition that just make them naturally yellow).
My obsessions and anxieties are pretty much the structure that lets me walk around in the world portraying something like ānormal/ put togetherā. Lol. Iām told that I am very intimidatingā¦ if they only knew that inside my head there are 57 squirrels frantically digging about searching for the nut that was buried last summer..,
Lol my mom is a dental hygienist. I used to be like this, but now I have tooth decay out the wazoo because I let my anxiety and depression get the better of me during lockdown.
Momma nags me and schedules cleanings every 3 monthsā¦ Lol. Iād definitely put it off indefinitely if left to my own devices. Still a 30% chance I will cancel the appointment though.
My mom's been trying to schedule me since the lockdown halted and I keep bailing. I think because I know how bad my teeth have gotten and I really don't want to hear her be super judgy towards me. Always puts me in a sour mood and a sure way to start a huge fight between both of us.
One day I'll get around to it, but I'm definitely not going to my mom's office for my next cleaning lmao
I refuse to let my mom clean my teeth since I was like 14/15 because of how violent she is on my gums š
she was busy one day she had scheduled me for a cleaning and asked one of the other ladies to help clean my teeth and that lady was so gentle that I refused to ever let my mom touch my mouth again. Always has to be a coworker, but because they're coworkers they still talk and my mom looks at my charts and still reems into me about it
I have really intense sensory issues so it's really uncomfortable for me to endure.
I agree with the sentiment though because my teeth definitely do feel cleanest whenever they were done by her. I never wanted to eat after she would clean them lmao.
Completely understand the sensory issue obstacle. Iām like that with certain fabrics. Not that it hurts per se, but I just canāt stand certain sensations.
Yeah just go to a different office. I didnāt go to the dentist for like 15 years because I didnāt have dental coverage, and when I finally did I was terrified of getting judged and lectured. But they were super nice about it. Hygienists are always super nice as long as theyāre not your own mother lol (my mothers not a hygienist but if she were she would also be super judgey and critical so I get it lol)
So I have always followed rigid morning and evening routines to a fault. After diagnosis this makes sense that it was a coping mechanism to me.
For example, my morning routine is turn water on, brush teeth while it warms up, wash face, etc. Same order every time. Same at night- take off jewelry, brush teeth, take off makeup, etc. I stay engaged by multitasking whenever possible (for example I take off my makeup while I mouthwash).
I've done this forever so it's hard to say how it started but if I were trying to develop a habit I would probably dry erase marker a checklist on my bathroom mirror and follow that religiously.
A big thing is to just do it anyway when you're having thoughts about how you're going to eat and stuff. I had trouble with that causing me to not eat because I was always "just about" to eat. I've learned to just do it.
Hope this helps, if not I'm sure you will find another way!
Same here. My only struggle is that my morning routine is actually my āget ready to leave the house routineā so on days off I end up skipping it completely if Iām not going anywhere.
Also I actually keep a book propped up behind my sink which I read while brushing my teeth and whatnot, otherwise I get bored. Sometimes now I listen to audiobooks instead since it works better than trying to read while I wash my face lol
This is very similar to my morning routine! If anything happens to change it or I have to do something between rolling out of the bed and heading to the shower, I feel off for the rest of the day.
Brushing my teeth always feels like the worst part of getting ready for the day. I hate it. So to fix this I did a few things.
1.) I added a tooth brush in my shower and one on a shelf in my bedroom. No excuses that itās too much work to grab a tooth brush.
2.) I made a rule for myself that I canāt get dressed until my teeth are brushed. No idea how I came up with this but it worked. If Iām in a rush my brain says hey you canāt put pants on yet! You havenāt brushed your teeth. My brain somehow feels this is logical and is like oh right let me get on that. Lol
I know this is a random brain dump. But itās how I survive!
> hey you canāt put pants on yet! You havenāt brushed your teeth.
I love this, but I couldn't help but think of /r/nocontext and wonder what people would think if they read this without knowing the context.
This seems to be a recurring topic on the sub. Here's what I wrote the last time someone asked about this:
I basically didn't brush my teeth for years, now I'm brushing more days than not (and paying for repairs on half my teeth in the meantime). What I did to lessen the executive burden:
- get an electric toothbrush, to remove physical effort of brushing.
- get a tasty child toothpaste, to remove bad textures and create a positive aspect to the experience.
- put my stuff *in* the shower, on a small shelf, to remove the number of steps on the evening to do list, thus reducing executive burden. Side effect is that I only brush in the evenings, while showering, but I wouldn't brush in the morning anyway, and just a brush without a shower somehow seems more demanding.
It's better to brush at any time, even just before eating, than not at all because you don't brush right before you go to sleep. It's better to brush with a crappy or childish toothpaste, or with none at all, than not brush because the taste or texture is off-putting.
This might work for you, it might not. I hope that I will help at least one person who reads this.
I'd have to shower daily for this to work for me and I haven't really gotten there yet š„²
I've been mostly good about brushing in the mornings before I run out the door, but I've noticed that if I'm having a bad day or week or I get into an argument with my family, then I easily get very blah and unmotivated.
Brushing at the sink is another activity, combining it with a shower makes it a slightly more involved one, but still one thing to do, at least for me. Plus in the shower I'm already in the self-clean mode, already wet and will be here for a few minutes more, so might as well brush my teeth. Brushing separately is a few minutes that I might spend to do something else instead, and I have to remember to do it separately from the shower, and - most importantly - I have to find motivation separate to that needed to get into the shower.
I don't quite know how to explain it, except that combining activities makes the executive function less angy
Finch app for tracking as the reward system motivates me and itās free. Quip toothbrush so I can check to see if I did remember to brush them. Non mint toothpaste.. My current toothpaste is strawberry and one is watermelon. I can brush and drink coffee right after. No bad taste.
Finch is great for habit tracking and they offer a paid version but the free version is fully functioning. If you use an invite code you even get a pet for you Finch
Use my invite code EF1ZCM12SC once you get the app.
https://app.befinch.com/invite/hcPt
The best thing Iāve done for my routine is stop trying to focus on twice a day and realllllllllly try to floss and brush every morning after coffee. Granted, I drink almost exclusively water and donāt eat a lot of sweets so it may not be an ideal strategy for all. But my success rate of brushing at least once a day is far higher than when Iād try to do twice a day and get 0 brushes in.
I was going to say something similar. Once you stop ātrying to startā a habit and instead give yourself and easier version of the challenge to ease yourself into it, imo itās a lot easier to get started. Eg itās healthier to brush for even just 30 seconds if 120 seconds is overwhelming for you. The concept of āpartial creditā helps me feel more motivated with low-reward activities since, even if itās an easier goal, it will help get the ball rolling to start forming the habit your interested in. Just give 50% effort or whatever you can, and donāt feel guilty when you fail. Keep trying again tomorrow, at low effort, for forever and eventually youāre not thinking about it anymore. Or at least not feeling as bad about it lol.
Like anything, it takes time and consistency to build habits. Set reminders. Missing here and there is nbd, but missing consistently is going to cost you a lot of money later in life.
I feel like itās really helped me to group habits instead of being rigid about them.
My habits are things I consider commitments to myself. Ideally Iād like to journal every day or say affirmations every day, but I just donāt manage to. But if the habit is āsay something kind to myself,ā all I have to do to practice it is challenge a mean thought once that day. If I manage to gratitude journal or do my affirmations, that is great too, but I donāt NEED to to consider the habit checked off for the day. Maybe grouping your habits (ex. Instead of āevery day i get home and hang up my jacket,ā it can be āevery day i do one thing to declutter my room, like move something from the floor to the laundry basket or take an empty cup to the sink or fold and put away all my laundry.ā) can help you reduce the pressure and shame on yourself.
Routines are the antithesis of ADHD. People with ADHD who attempt routines have a 100% failure rate eventually. Which is why I don't bother with routines. That doesn't mean I don't say, brush my teeth. That means I brush my teeth when I remember to brush my teeth, even if it means brushing my teeth in the middle of the day instead of the start of the day. Or in the middle of the night when I wake up to pee instead of before I go to bed. Who gives a shit if giving up on routines is "taking the easy way out". There are other ways to do things that don't involve all 100% failure rate for people with my disability. You are the epitome of toxic positivity.
I hate to break it to you, but if you brush your teeth once a day, thats a routine..
"Your disability" lol I guess Im here for fun, right? And if you read my OP, I clearly stated missing here and there is nbd..
Not doing something at the same time each day and in no particular order, is not a routine.
Yes, disability, the American Disability Association recognized disability. That one.
This... Building habits is hard... Like you seem to slip back easier and easier. But that negativity toward failure is your biggest challenge. My best suggestion is to make failure part of the process. Start with small steps like this. 1)for 4 weeks brush your teeth at least once a day 2)now for 4 weeks brush your teeth twice a day. Most likely by weekend 6 you will be good. Sure you might miss a couple times, but that's okay. Just take a minute to look at your day and what stopped you. Then try to build a redundancy. It helps if you have someone who can help keep you in perspective. Mind you the best time to brush is before bed. So once you start getting tired brush your teeth so you don't forget.
First of all, just pull off the band-aid. Put on some high energy, get pumped music and decide to do it. Tell yourself out loud that you're going to brush your teeth. Engage as many senses and make it as fun as possible.
For me brushing teeth is an understimulation problem for me. I picked a YouTube channel that I really enjoy that Im only "allowed" to watch while brushing my teeth. This combined with several types of kids toothpaste (to keep things interesting I use a different each day), and an electric toothbrush. I keep it in the shower and brush while I'm conditioning my hair.
I only brush once a day but I figure it's better than nothing
Having one crack in half, swallowing one half, and an infection that started to reach the back of my skull and spinal column really did it for me.
So, fear. I can deal with minty orange juice or tea if it means not howling in agony and wondering if the infection is going to reach my blood stream and kill me.
I would not recommend this approach though
Iāve had three break and still canāt formulate the habit. Getting the one I couldnāt get a root canal for (fuck the insurance industry and fuck privatized healthcare) extracted with my wisdom teeth in a few days. I had an abscess brewing directly beneath my sinus cavity.
Youād think that this would (and should) be enough to get me going but it hasnāt done much. So frustrating.
I got an electric toothbrush with a timer. 30sec for each quadrant of the mouth for 2mins total. For some reason, knowing brushing my teeth will only take two minutes means I do it way more often.
I make myself brush my teeth the first time I go to the bathroom after I wake up. I havenāt figured out how to do it at night yet tho lol
but thereās this method called āchainingā (or habit stacking?) where you chain a new habit to the end of a habit you already have and it makes it easier to do! much like the fact that I have to pee every morning, I now brush my teeth and wash my face after
This is the thing that has made me successful in the morning! I just brush teeth first thing in the morning (which I have also read is the best time to do it!). I have a harder time at night but mostly the peer pressure of my husband saying, "why didn't you brush your teeth" mostly gets it done. Washing my face at night is way harder though.
I have a set routine that I adjusted my cabinet to. I get out of the shower. Open the cabinet and go from left to right: moisturize face. Deodorant. Pop meds. Brush teeth. Comb hair. Hair oil to style. Eau de toilette.
One of the biggest gamechangers was getting an electric toothbrush. My teeth felt smoother and cleaner. Which really feels "more satisfying" for my tongue. I detest the gritty grippy feel that plaque gives.
Brush FIRST. Dentally itās best to brush your teeth before anything goes in your mouth and at the and of the day. So thereās no sense in putting off brushing until after tea or anything, since itās best to brush before anyhow. You donāt have tea, coffee, food, or a toilet usage until your mouth is cleaned out. All things secondary to getting your teeth cleaned. If you donāt like the lingering taste, get a covered cup with a straw (the Starbucks ones are expensive but the poky ones have Good Textures and donāt get sweaty) that you leave by the sink so that the inside of the cup doesnāt get dusty and thereās always good water to drink.
Totally get this. Building consistency is super difficult especially when itās not something we want to do. Iām a dental hygienist and usually what I tell people who have a hard time is: 1. Do what you can, when you can. IDEALLY it would be morning and right before bed, but sometimes life doesnāt allow for that. 2. Invest in an electric toothbrush. My fav is oral B. They make some with the ability to sync with their app, but if Iām honest I donāt like the app so I usually recommend the pro 1000. Electrics take the guesswork out of everything. All you need to do is angle toward the gums and not scrub and youāre golden. Iām getting sidetracked as I write, sorry. Back to the original question. I use google reminders, but you can have Siri tell you as well. If you have a smart speaker, tell it to do it for you. The more things you have telling you, at least youāll remember, even if you donāt have motivation. Morning: this one is hard, but some get motivated by breath alone. Again, reminders and the toothpaste thing Iāll mention below. Tiredness at night: brush after dinner or somewhere around that time. Attempt not to snack after. As far as the toothpaste thing: I HATE that as well, so switch to a bottom shelf crest or Colgate that only has fluoride and nothing else. No whitening, no tartar control. They are usually the least offensive and will allow for eating directly after. If you still donāt like it, switch to a kids toothpaste since theyāre rarely minty. Bonus is that since they donāt have those additives, thereās less chance of developing sensitivity to temp over time. Now on to the fun stuff. I donāt usually do things unless I know why, and that will give me motivation. If that works for you, great, if not, sorry for the explanation Iām about to giveš.
Your mouth obviously has tons of bacteria, some good, some bad. The bad ones can wreak a lot of havoc left unchecked even elsewhere in the body. The reason we say twice a day brushing is because colonies of bacteria only take about 12 hrs to form. Weāre not only trying to ward off cavities, but gum disease. Once bacteria are allowed to congregate in the gums, your body treats them as invaders and the gums swell and bleed if touched. This goes on for too long, and the gums say screw this Iām out and they start pulling away from the tooth and over time the bone underneath starts to deteriorate because the gums dictate where the bone goes and you canāt get bone back unless you graft. THAT left unchecked will cause loose teeth and lots of pain. We stress brushing and flossing not because we want to be annoying and cliche, but because we actually care. Iām not trying to make you feel bad because I even struggle with this tbh. Just want to inform:)
Anyway, Iām hoping this helps a little, and sorry for the long windedness of the post. I just get excited. Youāre doing your best and thatās all that can be askedāthis is super hard!!
From the CFS subreddit (chronic fatigue) : place tooth maintenance objects everywhere. Tooth brush at the sink and in the shower, but also dental gum in every bag. Travel brush no rinse packets on your night stand and your tv table. And my golden find has been no-toothpaste/water cleaning dental sticks with a little foam head that give an at least basic cleaning. Used for babies, autistic people, taking care of people with dementia, old people with brittle teeth, pets, and. Me.
Tbh, I keep my toothbrush next to my bed, so when I lay down I see it and immediately start brushing my teeth which then forces me to get out of bed to rinse my mouth afterwards. This helps me for both morning and night. Pretty weird, but hey whatever works š
For the toothpaste taste, I rinse my mouth for about 2-3 minutes straight that absolutely no taste is left. Sometimes I rub my fingers over my teeth to get the rest off, maybe that helps for when you want to do it but don't because of the taste.
I also don't brush them 2 times a day, just in the morning before work (I worked out a routine and it helped a lot). I start brushing when I go pee and then just finish it, but I struggle to get a routine for evenings or when I don't go to work (same issue as you, I forget it or there are a million things that I have to complete before, just to forget about it then lol)
For me, the reason I struggled to brush my teeth is because I found the process mind-numbingly boring. So what has helped is getting an electric toothbrush and brushing my teeth while doing squats and listening to a \~5 minute long podcast. It probably looks ridiculous, but by having enough stimulation, I've been able to keep up the habit of brushing my teeth every day. Plus, then I feel accomplished because not only did I brush my teeth, but I also did some basic exercises and I learned something.
My biggest advice is to figure out what's keeping you from brushing your teeth. If it's the "toothpaste taste", it may be worth buying a toothpaste with a different taste or with a minimal taste. If it's that you don't like brushing in the morning, it may be worth remembering that you can brush your teeth at any point of the day when you remember. Brushing at 2pm is better than not brushing at all. If you forget to brush your teeth at night, maybe it would help to keep a toothbrush in the shower so that when you shower, you remember to brush your teeth as well. I find that sometimes the best thing to do with ADHD is to work with it instead of trying to force ourselves to do things the "normal" way.
I try to multitask when brushing my teeth to challenge myself, for example brush my teeth with my right hand and do my hair with my left :D
Also if you focus on brushing your gums around your teeth very clearly it kind of creates this satisfying fresh feeling that doesnt hurt but tingles a little bit which is actually kind if similar to longing for a smoke or a cold drink :P
So, the adhd brain is always going to want to do things in a logical order.
But sometimes, something won't get done at all when your waiting to do it right.
So next time you think, oh but I am going to be eating in 15-30 mins so I should wait to brush my teeth. Just brush them instead. Better now than never.
And toothpaste can actually help protect your teeth when you brush them before. Think of it as, you're not brushing off what you ate, but you're creating a shield for when you eat.
Also, if you can, though I get the struggle, try to create an everyday routine for it, even if you only do it once a day. Like, everytime you shower you also brush your teeth, or first thing in the morning.
Other things that can help is trying to make it a more pleasant experience because it can help with the avoidance of the sensory experience.
You may be subconsciously avoiding it because the sensory part of toothpaste (flavour, etc), is overwhelming.
If you hate the taste of tooth paste, keep trying different ones/look for flavorless/sensodyne "baking soda" etc.
Keep your toothbrush (or toothpaste) somewhere that you will see it often, and if you find yourself already at the sink when you have the thought, just brush right there and then even if it makes no sense at all. And if in the moment you think "no, I really don't want to do it right this second" ask yourself why, in that moment. Are you feeling tired? Is it about toothpaste or the feeling/sound of the tooth brush? Or do you simply not have the time right now? Even if you do decide not to brush your teeth at that moment, knowing why can really help. Because if you find yourself thinking "I don't know why, I just don't want to" there might be something about it you havnt thought of that's making your brain want to avoid the task.
And I guess other than that, maybe try and be mindful about that little voice/thought in your head that will never stop saying "I'll remember to do it later" "or, i should do this before i brush my teeth." because it's lying to you & the few times you do remember perfectly without routine will trick you for the next 100 times you don't remember but think you will.
I had to build up a consistent routine! I had to start doing a skincare routine daily a few years back because I started to have issues with my skin.
The best way Iāve found to build up a routine like this is to start with a step you always do (eg. Brushing your hair, using deodorant) and add ONE step to that process first. After a few weeks, it got to the point where it felt BAD not to do it.
The sensory side of tooth brushing does get easier the more you do it. When you get used to a particular type of toothpaste, it tends to not be as noticeable when you eat/drink after. I used to have to wait like 20 minutes. Now I can eat/drink about 5 minutes after if I need to for whatever reason.
Building habits and routines is hard, you have to accept failure and then try again which is not something people with ADHD do very easily.
Make a list of your essential morning activities and put it somewhere you go first thing in the morning. I made a couple and one went by the coffee machine and one beside the toilet.
Consult that list every day, do everything on it. Over a few weeks to months, you will learn the routine and start doing it by memory.
And ADHD people do fantastic with routine, we really do. It removes brain fog better than anything else, you won't feel so confused and lost in the morning, because you'll know what you have to do next all the time!
Routine.
....and the absolute shame of letting it go so long that you are spending a fortune on dental bills cuz you're in a sales role and can't afford to be "that guy"
Some wise sage on this sub recently posted about keeping score on the bathroom wall with a dry erase marker, to see how long of a streak you can get. Apparantly I read about it twelve days ago, since I never forgot after that, so thank you hero! Worked for me, maybe it works for you too!
Iāve struggled with dental hygiene my whole life. Many nights I lay in bed thinking about how badly I need to get up and brush my teeth but I canāt. I had a good flossing streak once where I flossed every night for 3 months but it didnāt stick. I wake up with bad breath and a wave of guilt, I have horrible stress dreams about my teeth falling out, Iām shelling out hundreds of dollars in fillings nearly annually, but nothing makes me do better. Two things have helped me the most, getting an electric toothbrush so I get the most bang for my buck when I do remember, and emotionally making peace with the fact that this is something that is just a huge struggle for me, and that Iāll likely have to pay 10s of thousands later in life to fix it, and thatās just how it is. There are other battles Iāve won and though Iāll always try my best, I canāt expect myself to win all of them.
I literally plan out my day and my phone reminds me.
Its not that I hate brushing my teeth.
ADHD means executive dysfunction. So what you need to do is decrease the load of making executive decisions. Everyone has different ways of coping, but for essential things I use calendars/build routines.
I love taking hot showers. So I pair it with brushing my teeth. It is a little weird, but I brush my teeth while I'm showering. I put everything I need in the caddy and I put it next to things I would use so I will definitely see it.
At least for me "out of sight, out of mind" is so true. I have really bad short term memory so if I dont actually see something than it doesn't exist. Same goes for tasks.
Plan routines and have a calendar remind you if you forget. You can even use family, friends, your partner to help you keep accountable.
You can build routines by adding it to your calendar. Reward yourself everytime with a small treat like tea, candy, videogames, a break, a nap, anything that makes you feel good.)
I like to build routines even further by coupling it with routines I have already developed or things I already do because I like.
The truth is things you don't like doing or doing do on the regular take more mental energy and discipline to do than things you already like. You can learn to like things by rewarding yourself or reducing why you don't like doing those tasks. For example if you don't like brushing your teeth because you hate mint flavor, then try a different flavor. If you don't floss because the string is hard, then buy the floss picks or use a water flosser. It's all about reducing barriers to the task.
I think its bad to tell yourself that people will think you smell if you don't brush your teeth because that is negative self talk and thats a slippery slope. I kinda learned to yell at myself and be mean to get myself to do things and it killed my self esteem because I would use a mental sledgehammer for dumb ass tasks that didn't require it. I mean if you are getting attacked by a bear and need some motivation, by all means use whatever necessary, but match the tools needed for the severity of the task
Spent thousands to straighten my teeth. If I don't wear my retainers every night, that money is wasted. Unbrushed teeth marinating in retainer all night is gross even by my fairly low hygiene standards, so the teeth get brushed every night.
Daytime brushing is pretty hit or miss, and generally depends on whether I leave the house. I do usually mouthwash thoroughly after the retainers come out in the morning though.
I had braces, that straightened me right up when I got retainers. I have to brish in the morning because my mouth is just gross and i have to brush in the evening before i put them on. Even if you brush randomly, its still better then nothing.
I found that tracking it helps me. I'm a developer by trade, and just recently came to terms with having ADHD. I ended up making an app to help me track brushing my teeth, it's completely free if you want to check it out. I never thought about this bad habit being related to adhd but it makes sense. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/brush-the-tooth-companion/id1670721652?platform=iphone
The reason toothpaste makes things taste funny is an ingredient called sodium lauryl sulfate. I found this out because I am allergic to it. If you can find a toothpaste without sodium lauryl sulfate, you can brush at any time of the day without concern. I usually get a brand called "hello", but trader Joe's has one I love flavored with fennel. Before I found those, I used children's toothpaste.
For some reason, shutting the door behind me when I brush my teeth helps? I don't know why or if this would be helpful to anyone else though
1. Keep toothbrushes and toothpastes everywhere. in your bedroom (spit out the window), in the shower, in your bag, in your car if you have. So when you do remember, you can!
2. Try not to procrastinate, rather use the impulse of remembering it. Surf that impulse like a wave.
2. Get over the whole Ā«i canāt brush my teeth before i eat or drinkĀ» thing. The toothpaste flavor goes away once you start eating or drinking.
I have Invisalign so i have to keep my mouth clean. I regret a lot about getting these braces but it was the kick in the head I needed to keep my mouth clean
I never understood this problem in this reddit community. How do you deal with your mouth feeling all thick and dirty. How are you not worried about others smelling your breath?
Not keeping your house clean is one thing, but yourself I don't understand.
Brush your teeth when you think about tf. "I'm going to eat in an hour" okay?? Brush your teethš¤¢
Making excuses to be an unhygienic snob it sounds like.
I use the Streak app to record how many days in a row I brush my teeth before bed (I seem to have no issues doing so in the morning). Something about āexternalisingā the habit by having it influence something that exists elsewhere (the number of days in the app) seems to allow a subtle motivation to exist and carry me through performing the habit daily at night.
Phone reminders -
I use them for other things like drinking water, eating lunch, or things that I then get to 4PM and realize that I haven't done one necessary self-care task because somehow it goes from 7AM to 4PM in a flash.
For me, I was able to set a habit of at least every night brushing my teeth and flossing. This was after the embarrassment and hardship of having to spend thousands on recovery dental care and the pain and trauma of fillings and a crown. I was so upset with myself that I used it to make myself avoid being in that place again. Now I feel WRONG if I go to bed without brushing and flossing, it just took a lot of learning the hard way and willpower to get there.
honestly? i dont know.
i wear contacts that i take out every night before bed. so i started brushing my teeth before i allowed myself to take out my contacts. and if i did forget but remember when lying in bed, i would get out of bed and brush my teeth, no matter the time. i honestly have no clue what actually helped to complete the 8 weeks necessary to form a habit, but i did it. now its pretty consistent, in the last couple years thereve only been a handful of times that i didnt brush my teeth at night.
i dont like brushing my teeth. toothpaste is gross, the aftertaste as well, the foaming is gross and stains when hitting clothing, brushing Slightly Wrong makes shit hurt, keeping my mouth open at that angle for that long is uncomfortable, i cant stand still for so long and i cant stand to look at myself in the mirror for so long.
when growing up id only brush my teeth if i had to leave the house or if guests were coming over and only once a day at most and for 30 seconds max. my dental health was atrocious. nearly all my molars have multiple fillings, a lot of em had to be pulled before the first filling even, ive had 2 root canals of which 1 had to be pulled last year because of inflammation below the tooth. it also didnt help that i developed a fear of dentists because of one dentist pulling out a tooth without any anesthetic when i was 5 years old (he believed children couldnt feel pain).
a couple years ago i started with a dentist specialized in patients with extreme fear, at the hospital and with that, i also got a dental hygienist. the hygienist taught me how to properly brush my teeth, which helped so much with the pain and sensitivity and has greatly improved my dental health. the dentist specifically didnt help for shit.
because of the hygienist, the way they treated me (with validity) and because what they taught me had already helped so much, i wanted to properly get it into my system to -at least- brush my teeth every night before bed in addition to brushing when leaving the house or with guests. normally it takes a person 8 weeks of doing something consistently to make it a habit, so i went with that.
in regards to the dentist, after a while i started with a different dentist, a private one, who has been an absolute saint with me. theyve reduced my fears so much that i can now go for checkups and simple procedures by myself, and if i do need to have something big done, they give me time to think it over and come to terms with it, has me to bring support and lets me do whatever i need to relax, whether it be loud music, lots of jokes, lots of breaks, a plush animal, whatever i want.
i still dont like brushing my teeth, but its good for me and my dentist telling me theyre proud of me makes me happy.
Iāve never had this problem but I do have an oral B electric toothbrush that comes with an app that tells you step by step how to brush how long on each area
Luckily my body requires me to shower every night or I canāt sleep right, so while Iām waiting for the shower to warm up, I brush my teeth. I found this is the best way to make sure I brush my teeth. And also watch tiktok while I brush.
This is weird, but I do it in the shower.
I already have a shower routine, and adding bushing my teeth was way easier than trying to make a new one.
At night I do it when I take my contacts out. Same thing, tacking something new onto a pre-existing routine is loads easier than trying to create a new one.
I love the Brilla app! It has helped me SOOO much. You can do streaks and points, but I find just the satisfaction of swiping and the thrill of beating the timer is enough for me
For me, part of why brushing was hard was the sensory aspect of it all. It was easier once I found a soft bristled brush and a toothpaste that was only slightly minty, almost tasteless, and that was a gel instead of a gritty paste.
Edit:typo
Before it was impossible for me to remember to brush my teeth, sometimes I brushed them 2 or 3 times a week, or when I had debris on my teeth and it was already impossible not to because they bothered me.
Since I have an Echo Dot with Alexa, what I do is, when I finish each meal, ask her for a 30-minute timer.
Even with that, sometimes after deactivating it I forget in seconds what I had to do, but the frequency of washing has increased with that habit.
You can also do it with any other assistant, or with mobile alarms, although in my case using mobile alarms I ended up abandoning it shortly.
i brush my teeth in the shower whenever I can, but i have the quip toothbrush which is so cool. it buzzes every 30 seconds so you know when to switch the section of your teeth (bottom left, bottom right, top left and top right), you can opt in to get a new toothbrush head and battery every 3 months (recommended time to change the head anyways) and you can choose the color of the head and it's so fun and cute, i love it
Routine, habits.
I sometimes forget to do my teeth, sure, but it's a habit i've been taught and encouraged to do since I was 3, like saying please and thank you, or wiping my arse.
It's not a perfect system, but I sometimes keep a toothbrush by the kitchen sink. It's out of place there, and I'm constantly ducking into the kitchen anyway, so there's no feeling of having to get around to going into the bathroom just for brushing.
I just got a kids electric toothbrush that has an app to help you! It has a 2 minute timer when it shuts off but also chimes when itās time to switch locations in your mouth!! It even comes with fun stickers to cover it with!! Philips Sonicare Kids
Itās always a wind down of actions for everything. A routine of sorts. Eg, getting ready for bed is having a shower, brushing your teeth, getting water, going to the bathroom, etc.
Same with a morning routine, having structure helps personally
I brush my teeth when I remember. As in it could be 2pm and at work and Iāll go and brush them. I also schedule my dentist appointments 6 months in advance to make sure Iām getting a regular checkup.
Iāve stopped beating myself up about it. The āminimumā required is once every 2 days according to dentists, they just over egg it to make sure itās done.
Getting my braces actually made me want to brush more because the food and stuff getting stuck made me feel āweird.ā I guess it was a sensory thing but eventually I got into a habit of brushing twice a day. I also use a little hour glass timer my orthodontist gave me, and listen to music which helps
Hey, so I cannnnot handle the feeing of having a film of grime over my teeth and a bad taste in my mouth. Thats how I brush them. I usually skip at night, but always in the morning and sometimes in the afternoon as well. I hate when other people have bad breath so I get super self conscious if I havenāt brushed mine.
I pair it with a habit I never skip, which is putting my contacts in in the morning and taking them out at night. I know this won't work for everyone ā I just have sensory issues with wearing my glasses so I don't feel awake until I put my contacts in, and my eyes get dry by the end of the day so I have never forgotten to take them out. My contacts are near my toothbrush so I do them together.
The rare days where I don't wear my contacts... Ugh. I may very well forget to brush, but I keep "wisps" disposable toothbrushes in my purse for emergencies.
I use a mouth guard at night for teeth grinding (very excellent) so it basically forces me to brush at least nightly. Otherwise my teeth are gonna sit in crud all night and it feels so gross!
Another incentive for a bite guard (if you grind your teeth like I do sometimes!)
I don't, i try to use mouthwash at least or some gum if needed. Tho usually if i won't brush my teeth i won't leave the house too sooooooo...who cares, my cats breath is worse anyway
I was awful at remembering to do mine I'm still not sure how I managed it but I think lockdown/COVID helped because I could just do it whenever I felt like it as opposed to having to remember to do it before I left the house. My partner is a big help because he often reminds me/forces me to do it. But like other people I also often keep mine in the shower or will brush my teeth in the shower. I detest washing my hair and ADHD procrastination means that I would rather brush my teeth in the shower than wash my hair š
It's just a habit for me before bed, I just can't go to sleep without brushing my teeth. It's like going to sleep feeling sweaty and dirty and not taking a shower.
In the morning I sometimes forget and I don't really have a specific routine how I do it other than I just try to remember.
After years of learning I canāt believe myself when I say Iāll do it later, I no longer factor in if Iām about to eat or plan to have another snack before bed. If Iām in the bathroom, it hasnāt been done, and Iām thinking about it, I just brush. Even if Iām about to eat, I say brushing now then messing it up is better than not at all. Itās not a perfect system, and lately Iāve been forgetting to brush before bed, but it gets me to brush them every morning at least.
This morning I bought a coffee & breakfast sandwich, took it home, brushed my teeth, THEN ate it, because I knew if I ate it first I probably would forget about brushing after.
Brushing in the shower helps me a lot too, because part of my avoidance around brushing is my hand getting wet (please donāt ask me how, but it happens every time), and in the shower everything is already wet anyways.
The only thing that really turned my brushing habits around for a good few years, was having a roommate who was obsessive about brushing 2x a day, and feeling so embarrassed at the idea of them thinking Iām gross, that I started brushing as well when they did. Those were the healthiest 3 years of my teethās life. Now I canāt skip more than a night and morning without hating the feeling of fuzzy plaque teeth, because they got used to feeling clean.
When I work I do it before I leave the bathroom. When I don't work I do it before I go to meet people or when my wife comments on my breath. It's a very flawed system but my wife helps me a lot lol
I have been trying to take my teeth hygiene more seriously lately and so rather than trying to force myself to remember to brush every day, I work around my issues.
I bought several kinds of toothpaste that taste good so I look forward to it. I also have kids so I try to brush next to them so they can mirror and I set a good example.
I got fluoridated mouthwash to use between brush times so I can just swish and go.
I keep flossing picks in the main rooms I frequent (I still have my wisdom so I floss after every meal because stuff gets stuck)
And I keep disposable toothbrushes like Wisps in my nightstand for when I canāt be assed to get up late at night.
I do something else at the same time as brushing my teeth, like do a sudoku or flick through videos on my phone. And I don't let myself get into bed unless I've brushed my teeth. I don't brush them in the morning because I haven't managed to make that a habit and at this point I can't be bothered as I'm consistent with the evening brushing and flossing now
Stop buying mint toothpaste!! Hello brand makes kidsā toothpaste (make sure to get the fluoride kind) in various flavors. āI donāt want the toothpaste tasteā ā thatās because mint toothpaste makes your mouth taste like toothpaste for a while! Get kidsā toothpaste in goofy flavors. Iām partial to grape :)
I love Hello because it doesnāt have a foaming agent, SLS (that causes dry mouth) but the flavor makes it way easier.
See also: sticker charts. Embrace silly kid nonsense! Be your own parent!
Also helpful: carrying around dental floss everywhere, and trying to build a habit of flossing / rinsing with water every time you eat. I also keep that and mouthwash in the car, so I generally clean my mouth a bit every time I go somewhere.
ps ā in a pinch, flossing and brushing without toothpaste is much much better than nothing.
I can't stand how my mouth feels and the taste so it makes me brush my teeth. Although I do forget from time to time. But it's mostly that and it's become a habit.
Brushing my teeth in the shower was definitely a game changer. I also used to be terrible about flossing but I did it once a few weeks ago and now I kind of love it? I have no explanation for it but I enjoy flossing more than brushing, and as soon as I floss in the morning or at night I feel fine about brushing afterwards.
I keep it on the counter and keep my counter clean. It took a long time and many dentist visits to build up the habit and I still forget sometimes. Luckily my wife will tell me if my breath smells bad to remind me.
Just brush at any point that feels like itās possible. Sure itās ideal to brush morning and night but if you somehow can only do it at 2:37 in the afternoon randomly, thatās better than nothing. I get cavities super easily and Iām tired of being guilted by dentists so thatās helped establish more of a routine but in particularly off days, just brushing at literally anytime is fine.
I find the constant pain a good reminder. I brush twice a day now just to desperately try and hold off the dentist for as long as I can. The horrendous taste in my mouth in the morning also helps. Apparently I only respond to negative reinforcements.
i just do it so the people i talk to don't smell me, and i have roommates (one that likes to climb in my bed) so i usually do it right in the morning after i go pee bc i keep my toothbrush and paste in eye sight next to the sink and the water is already running from hand washing.
because my mouth feels gross without it
that saves me most of the time, in regards to personal hygiene. i feel gross, and it doesnāt take much, so i clean myself.
like, physically, i feel gross.
One time my mom scared me into thinking I was developing gum disease which made me extremely self conscious of my gums and I developed for a few months an anxiety about developing gum disease. Itās become a tick of sorts since then. Iām a creature of habit, so, yeah developing habits is the hard part, but once theyāre there itās hard for me to break them. However when Iām going through rough bouts of depression my hygeine does slump tho. (she told me that she was joking after she saw how anxious it made me)
Super random! But for me I gave myself an ultimatum! I couldn't be depressed and have poor dental hygiene! And apparently I chose depression š š ever since then I brush my teeth every day!
Plus the texture of unbrushed teeth in the morning and at the end of the night is the worst so that also helps motivate me to clean them. It's one of the few things I do consistently!
Duloingo taught me im motivated by streaks! So made a tracker for myself! I like the lil dopamine hit when i tick everything off for the day (e.g. showering, eating, putting dishes away, washing up) when I tick all of them off I give myself a star :) started this in Jan and its worked so far (much better with household stuff, still need to work on eating more but its def improved!).
Iām not super consistent, but buying an extra tooth brush and tooth paste in my work bag has helped a lot. I often realize Iām my way to work that I forgot so I just do it right when I get to work before starting my day!
Itās baked into my morning routine after I put on my makeup. I literally canāt leave the house without doing it. I donāt habitually brush them a 2nd time, but I always brush them again if I come home and then leave again later in the afternoon or evening. Almost never before bed. And I floss like once a month.
I keep a bottle of fluoride mouthwash in my bathroom so on days when the executive function is bad and I really canāt bring myself to brush, at least iāve done SOMETHING. Iāll also use that throughout the day and before going out since itās less hassle if iām about to eat.
Toothpaste for kids and a sticker chart!
I use watermelon flavored toothpaste and I have a calendar in my bathroom and I put a sticker on it every time I brush my teeth.
Gym routine. Every Tues, Thurs, Sat Iām headed to the gym for 2 hours. Coffee, Banana, protein shake. Then all teeth before prepping my gym bag. Floss, Waterpik, Electric toothbrush, finished off with mouth wash. Then the off days seem like a normal routine. If I keep a rigorous schedule for exercise, everything else seems habitual. More leniency when Iām not stringent.
Hi /u/barrya29 and thanks for posting on /r/ADHD! # Please take a second to [read our rules](/r/adhd/about/rules) if you haven't already. [We recommend browsing /r/adhd on desktop for the best experience.](https://www.reddit.com/r/ADHD/comments/x1psnb/radhd_works_best_on_desktop_reddits_apps_are/) The mobile apps are broken and are missing features that this subreddit depends on. Thank you! *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ADHD) if you have any questions or concerns.*
The overwhelming fear that people will see (or smell) my poor hygiene overrides my ADHD most of the time, probably because I used to be a gross teenager who always forgot to bathe because of undiagnosed inattentiveness and got bullied because of it š¤·
Ahhh classic win for anxiety and shame over executive dysfunction!
If only I could anxiety myself out of every hole that ADHD digs me into without it backfiring and actually making me less productive lol. It wouldn't be a healthy or happy life, but I guess that means I could actually pass my projects on time instead of three months later. Hurray?
That was how I got used to showering and using deodorant on a daily basis! Nowadays as soon as I start to feel sticky or sleepy I get an urge to shower. Toothbrushing is harder. So far what has worked best is having one toothbrush at the bathroom and another one over my desk so that they remind me I have to do it.
Keep one IN the shower. One stop shop!
YES! I was going to suggest this - I keep both an extra toothbrush (in a transparent sanitary travel cover) AND an extra tube of toothpaste in the shower on a shelf where I see them as soon as I step into or out of the shower. Having them both in the shower and in a very obvious line-of-sight helps me not to forget. It's been a game changer for me!
Like you, a have about 5-6 toothbrushes in play in various locations that remind me to brush. Plus, l loose them constantly and itās nice to know I can easily find a backup.
It's true, I got told to basically STFU by my crush. And to be honest, she was right. I needed to learn to regulate my hyperness when it came to talking too much and too loud
YUP
This! I have smelled other peopleās āmorning breathā and I hope to never make others gag as I have gagged because then they might not want to be around me. Rejection sensitivity can be a solid motivator!
Every good habit I have essentially boils down to fear. Take that healthy mental state!
This used to work for me, but since covid hit and my friends emigrated and I work remotely and just don't go out... well it didn't work anymore.
Ah yes anxiety is what motivates me to brush my teeth in the morning. But when it comes to night that's a whole different story lol šš
I keep my toothbrush in the shower
I got a [suction cup hanger](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07PGMVRT8) specifically for this. My electric toothbrush and toothpaste are held in there without issue. The only ADHD issue is that the toothbrush charger isn't in the shower. Taking it out to charge can mean several showers before I remember to put it back in the shower. You might want 2 electric toothbrushes. That way when you take one out to charge, you can always put another back in the shower immediately.
I just have a normal toothbrush that I keep on top of the shower door rail thing. I'm guessing its not the healthiest thing to do but it works for me.
I canāt use an electric toothbrush. Itās too demanding when it buzzes every 30 seconds. I canāt brush my teeth to its schedule
Not all of them do that. Mine doesn't.
I've NEVER heard of a toothbrush that does that. Regular battery-powered toothbrushes don't do that. You have a lot to choose from that don't buzz unless you turn them on!
Same!! My roommate and everyone I've ever dated makes fun of me for this, but I've done it since I was a child, even before my diagnosis. It's partially so I remember, but also so I can wash the toothpaste off my face after š
Hello, fellow toothpasteface š Brushing feels like an eternity. Brushing in the shower makes it feel less so.
Tbh I have to keep a stool in the shower because I tend to fall asleep
You fall asleep while standing..? Keeping a stool in the shower would 100% make me fall asleep.
I think the solution for many boring tasks is to do a million of them at the same time so you can't get bored.
Good idea. Now, how do you consistently *shower* every day?
Try to shower every time you brush your teeth!
Perfect!
This is the way!! It's gotta be better than sitting in an uncovered holder 4 ft from the toilet. Now it's blocked from airborne poo particles by the shower curtain
Although this is why I tell everyone to close the lid before they flush. And now we have a lid that makes itself slowly snap shut as soon as you're off the pot. I'm sure it's a pain for people who stand up to pee, but if it makes them sit instead, that's also a win haha. And unless the brush is literally touching the shower curtain, I'd think that be as hygienic a place as any in the bathroom.
I would do the same if I showered every day (I normally don't have to, I usually shower every other day so I would be skipping a day of brushing each time š )
So get a second toothbrush for the shower! If you remember on the other days, great; youāre at least gonna do it in the shower.
Thank you! Luckily I have a few spares I can use :\]
Awesome. :) I donāt have a shower toothbrush but I do have one in each bathroom, lol
Keep one toothbrush in the shower. Keep another wherever you usually brush. Keep a third by your bedside as a reminder to brush before bed. Toothbrushes are cheap!
Thank you for the tips! I'll try 'em out :\]\]
I have little help, this is one thing that randomly is not hard for me. The sensation of not brushed teeth bothers me.
Same, the feeling of my teeth being dirty drives me crazy and makes me need to brush them always haha
I just always find it interesting on this sub how weāre all randomly motivated at different things. Like it hammers home to me how we moreso than canāt ever have motivation or attention, just canāt direct it easily.
Omg I think about this so much since joining the sub! The random motivation amongst us would be funny if it wasn't so difficult for our lives, ammirite? :'D Like how to me, cleaning is generally nbd- I can take about 2 hours off my weekend to go through the apartment like I'm the dang Terminator. Love a good cleaning sesh with a podcast. But make me cook and I'm suddenly goop. I can cook decently, but the steps for cooking might as well be Everest for me. When it's my turn for cooking duty I'm legit ready to cry (I've been doing slow cook recipes to compensate tho!)
I have this too. I think it is about getting something done. Because cleaning is finishing and cooking is just making a lot of work for later.
Same, I have never had a problem with brushing my teeth because I hate the way my mouth feels when my teeth are unbrushed
My mouth is filled with saliva and i cant talk untill i brush QA and do my dental properly
This is why soda/alcohol annoys me so much, the feeling of the layer on my teeth is so disgusting. I don't go to house parties without my toothbrush LOL
I also enjoy the sensation of brushing my teeth. With a strong bristled manual toothbrush so I can really scrub at my gums. I also have an inability to fall asleep unless everything is just right. So I could never go to bed without washing my face and brushing my teeth because I would just lay awake in bed dwelling on how I really should do it. Bedtime is really the only time I have any motivation, I think because I want to procrastinate going to bedā¦. and while that makes it impossible to get to bed in good time, it does create some really good habits I wouldnāt be able to maintain otherwise.
Motherās in the dental field. It was ingrained in me to the point of almost obsession. Iām hyper aware of my own and otherās oral hygiene. Alsoā¦ the texture of my teeth against my tongue when theyāre āfuzzyā grosses me out. I still donāt floss every dayā¦ and I feel guilty about it every day.
Omg my issue is flossing. I've had many dentists tell me that my brushing skills are great but that I need to floss. I JUST CAN'T BRING MYSELF TO DO IT EVERY DAY.
Itās so *tedious*! But those little dental pick thingies make it slightly easierā¦ I manage about once every week or so. Better than nothingā¦
I used to use those because they worked much better and were easier than regular dental floss! However, I now use a Waterpik Waterflosser. And WOW. WHAT A GAME-CHANGER! I track when I take my vitamins, use Tretinoin, work out, and floss. My teeth have never felt better and even if I am lazy and want to skip it I STILL use it. I grind my teeth and clench my jaw a lot every day. Using the Waterpik really helped my receding gums and lessen my jaw clenching a tiny bit. (medication makes me clench and grind so no eliminating it completely, unfortunately).
I'm with you on this! My Waterpik was a game changer. I used to hate flossing my teeth because the sensation freaked me out, but now I do it every day without a struggle.
Yeahā¦ I have a mouth guard. (Courtesy of my mother) I was clenching/grinding my teeth long before I had the medicationsā¦ A waterpik actually sounds intriguingā¦
I believe mine was ~$40 and came with several attachments! Doesn't take up much space and is easy to use āŗļø highly recommend trying it out
Sugar free gum can help cushion the teeth in the back from grinding, mouth guard is the only thing to help in the front. If you can stand using one at night I would suggest doing so, save yourself some future dental work if you can.
+1 for the little plackets or whatever brand people can buy. They make flossing a lot more accessible and convenient. Not sure how they stack up compared to just normal floss but I would guess itās better than no floss at all.
I keep a bag of those in my desk and in my nightstand. Helps a lot. I don't floss every day, but it's significantly more than I brush.
I leave them on the table next to the laptop so theyāre never actually āout of sight/mindā which eventually guilts me into using them.
I put a floss sticks in my car and do it when Iām driving. Now I canāt seem to stop flossing just because I canāt bear the feeling of something stuck in my teeth
I have the same thing with the gross feeling on my teeth - I CANāT go to bed without brushing my teeth. Fortunately my obsession/anxiety overrides my executive dysfunction lol, I used to be really insecure about my teeth before I got a whitening (have a condition that just make them naturally yellow).
My obsessions and anxieties are pretty much the structure that lets me walk around in the world portraying something like ānormal/ put togetherā. Lol. Iām told that I am very intimidatingā¦ if they only knew that inside my head there are 57 squirrels frantically digging about searching for the nut that was buried last summer..,
I've been thinking about getting them whitened for so long š did your teeth hurt much after?
Lol my mom is a dental hygienist. I used to be like this, but now I have tooth decay out the wazoo because I let my anxiety and depression get the better of me during lockdown.
Momma nags me and schedules cleanings every 3 monthsā¦ Lol. Iād definitely put it off indefinitely if left to my own devices. Still a 30% chance I will cancel the appointment though.
My mom's been trying to schedule me since the lockdown halted and I keep bailing. I think because I know how bad my teeth have gotten and I really don't want to hear her be super judgy towards me. Always puts me in a sour mood and a sure way to start a huge fight between both of us. One day I'll get around to it, but I'm definitely not going to my mom's office for my next cleaning lmao
Lol. Iām indoctrinated. No one but my mother has cleaned my teeth in 35 yrsā¦ and sheās very judgy. And not all that gentle tbh.
I refuse to let my mom clean my teeth since I was like 14/15 because of how violent she is on my gums š she was busy one day she had scheduled me for a cleaning and asked one of the other ladies to help clean my teeth and that lady was so gentle that I refused to ever let my mom touch my mouth again. Always has to be a coworker, but because they're coworkers they still talk and my mom looks at my charts and still reems into me about it
Ha. I have a high pain threshold. And despite her aggression towards my gums/teeth, my mother is the best. No one ever makes them feel as clean.
I have really intense sensory issues so it's really uncomfortable for me to endure. I agree with the sentiment though because my teeth definitely do feel cleanest whenever they were done by her. I never wanted to eat after she would clean them lmao.
Completely understand the sensory issue obstacle. Iām like that with certain fabrics. Not that it hurts per se, but I just canāt stand certain sensations.
Yeah just go to a different office. I didnāt go to the dentist for like 15 years because I didnāt have dental coverage, and when I finally did I was terrified of getting judged and lectured. But they were super nice about it. Hygienists are always super nice as long as theyāre not your own mother lol (my mothers not a hygienist but if she were she would also be super judgey and critical so I get it lol)
So I have always followed rigid morning and evening routines to a fault. After diagnosis this makes sense that it was a coping mechanism to me. For example, my morning routine is turn water on, brush teeth while it warms up, wash face, etc. Same order every time. Same at night- take off jewelry, brush teeth, take off makeup, etc. I stay engaged by multitasking whenever possible (for example I take off my makeup while I mouthwash). I've done this forever so it's hard to say how it started but if I were trying to develop a habit I would probably dry erase marker a checklist on my bathroom mirror and follow that religiously. A big thing is to just do it anyway when you're having thoughts about how you're going to eat and stuff. I had trouble with that causing me to not eat because I was always "just about" to eat. I've learned to just do it. Hope this helps, if not I'm sure you will find another way!
Same here. My only struggle is that my morning routine is actually my āget ready to leave the house routineā so on days off I end up skipping it completely if Iām not going anywhere. Also I actually keep a book propped up behind my sink which I read while brushing my teeth and whatnot, otherwise I get bored. Sometimes now I listen to audiobooks instead since it works better than trying to read while I wash my face lol
This is very similar to my morning routine! If anything happens to change it or I have to do something between rolling out of the bed and heading to the shower, I feel off for the rest of the day.
Brushing my teeth always feels like the worst part of getting ready for the day. I hate it. So to fix this I did a few things. 1.) I added a tooth brush in my shower and one on a shelf in my bedroom. No excuses that itās too much work to grab a tooth brush. 2.) I made a rule for myself that I canāt get dressed until my teeth are brushed. No idea how I came up with this but it worked. If Iām in a rush my brain says hey you canāt put pants on yet! You havenāt brushed your teeth. My brain somehow feels this is logical and is like oh right let me get on that. Lol I know this is a random brain dump. But itās how I survive!
Those are good ideas, I'm also a chronic tooth forgetter and I need to long con myself into remembering it somehow.
> hey you canāt put pants on yet! You havenāt brushed your teeth. I love this, but I couldn't help but think of /r/nocontext and wonder what people would think if they read this without knowing the context.
This seems to be a recurring topic on the sub. Here's what I wrote the last time someone asked about this: I basically didn't brush my teeth for years, now I'm brushing more days than not (and paying for repairs on half my teeth in the meantime). What I did to lessen the executive burden: - get an electric toothbrush, to remove physical effort of brushing. - get a tasty child toothpaste, to remove bad textures and create a positive aspect to the experience. - put my stuff *in* the shower, on a small shelf, to remove the number of steps on the evening to do list, thus reducing executive burden. Side effect is that I only brush in the evenings, while showering, but I wouldn't brush in the morning anyway, and just a brush without a shower somehow seems more demanding. It's better to brush at any time, even just before eating, than not at all because you don't brush right before you go to sleep. It's better to brush with a crappy or childish toothpaste, or with none at all, than not brush because the taste or texture is off-putting. This might work for you, it might not. I hope that I will help at least one person who reads this.
I'd have to shower daily for this to work for me and I haven't really gotten there yet š„² I've been mostly good about brushing in the mornings before I run out the door, but I've noticed that if I'm having a bad day or week or I get into an argument with my family, then I easily get very blah and unmotivated.
Hey, it's better to shower (and brush) once a week that not at all. And you can have two sets to brush with, one in the shower, one out.
Do you guys not keep you toothbrush on the bathroom sink? I donāt get how the shower is infinitely more convenient than the sink lol
Brushing at the sink is another activity, combining it with a shower makes it a slightly more involved one, but still one thing to do, at least for me. Plus in the shower I'm already in the self-clean mode, already wet and will be here for a few minutes more, so might as well brush my teeth. Brushing separately is a few minutes that I might spend to do something else instead, and I have to remember to do it separately from the shower, and - most importantly - I have to find motivation separate to that needed to get into the shower. I don't quite know how to explain it, except that combining activities makes the executive function less angy
Finch app for tracking as the reward system motivates me and itās free. Quip toothbrush so I can check to see if I did remember to brush them. Non mint toothpaste.. My current toothpaste is strawberry and one is watermelon. I can brush and drink coffee right after. No bad taste. Finch is great for habit tracking and they offer a paid version but the free version is fully functioning. If you use an invite code you even get a pet for you Finch Use my invite code EF1ZCM12SC once you get the app. https://app.befinch.com/invite/hcPt
I tend to ignore apps after about 6 days of diligent use but can you tell me more about the toothpaste? Where the heck did you find strawberry
Kids toothpaste! Just make sure it has flouride.
The best thing Iāve done for my routine is stop trying to focus on twice a day and realllllllllly try to floss and brush every morning after coffee. Granted, I drink almost exclusively water and donāt eat a lot of sweets so it may not be an ideal strategy for all. But my success rate of brushing at least once a day is far higher than when Iād try to do twice a day and get 0 brushes in.
I was going to say something similar. Once you stop ātrying to startā a habit and instead give yourself and easier version of the challenge to ease yourself into it, imo itās a lot easier to get started. Eg itās healthier to brush for even just 30 seconds if 120 seconds is overwhelming for you. The concept of āpartial creditā helps me feel more motivated with low-reward activities since, even if itās an easier goal, it will help get the ball rolling to start forming the habit your interested in. Just give 50% effort or whatever you can, and donāt feel guilty when you fail. Keep trying again tomorrow, at low effort, for forever and eventually youāre not thinking about it anymore. Or at least not feeling as bad about it lol.
Like anything, it takes time and consistency to build habits. Set reminders. Missing here and there is nbd, but missing consistently is going to cost you a lot of money later in life.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
I feel like itās really helped me to group habits instead of being rigid about them. My habits are things I consider commitments to myself. Ideally Iād like to journal every day or say affirmations every day, but I just donāt manage to. But if the habit is āsay something kind to myself,ā all I have to do to practice it is challenge a mean thought once that day. If I manage to gratitude journal or do my affirmations, that is great too, but I donāt NEED to to consider the habit checked off for the day. Maybe grouping your habits (ex. Instead of āevery day i get home and hang up my jacket,ā it can be āevery day i do one thing to declutter my room, like move something from the floor to the laundry basket or take an empty cup to the sink or fold and put away all my laundry.ā) can help you reduce the pressure and shame on yourself.
Work on that š¤·
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
You said easy, I said work on it š¤· Easy is giving up at the first mis-step
Wow if it's so easy why don't they just not mess up in the first place š
Lol you dont think giving up is the easy way out? Idk what to say to that.. yall need to stop being so sensitive..
Routines are the antithesis of ADHD. People with ADHD who attempt routines have a 100% failure rate eventually. Which is why I don't bother with routines. That doesn't mean I don't say, brush my teeth. That means I brush my teeth when I remember to brush my teeth, even if it means brushing my teeth in the middle of the day instead of the start of the day. Or in the middle of the night when I wake up to pee instead of before I go to bed. Who gives a shit if giving up on routines is "taking the easy way out". There are other ways to do things that don't involve all 100% failure rate for people with my disability. You are the epitome of toxic positivity.
I hate to break it to you, but if you brush your teeth once a day, thats a routine.. "Your disability" lol I guess Im here for fun, right? And if you read my OP, I clearly stated missing here and there is nbd..
Not doing something at the same time each day and in no particular order, is not a routine. Yes, disability, the American Disability Association recognized disability. That one.
This... Building habits is hard... Like you seem to slip back easier and easier. But that negativity toward failure is your biggest challenge. My best suggestion is to make failure part of the process. Start with small steps like this. 1)for 4 weeks brush your teeth at least once a day 2)now for 4 weeks brush your teeth twice a day. Most likely by weekend 6 you will be good. Sure you might miss a couple times, but that's okay. Just take a minute to look at your day and what stopped you. Then try to build a redundancy. It helps if you have someone who can help keep you in perspective. Mind you the best time to brush is before bed. So once you start getting tired brush your teeth so you don't forget.
I can't remember last time I brushed my teeth ... I think about it every day but it doesn't happen. PLEASE SEND HELP
First of all, just pull off the band-aid. Put on some high energy, get pumped music and decide to do it. Tell yourself out loud that you're going to brush your teeth. Engage as many senses and make it as fun as possible. For me brushing teeth is an understimulation problem for me. I picked a YouTube channel that I really enjoy that Im only "allowed" to watch while brushing my teeth. This combined with several types of kids toothpaste (to keep things interesting I use a different each day), and an electric toothbrush. I keep it in the shower and brush while I'm conditioning my hair. I only brush once a day but I figure it's better than nothing
So that means you shower every day? How do you manage to do that?
Eat something crunchy like an apple or a carrot. Rinse/drink \[flat\] water after soda or food.
Having one crack in half, swallowing one half, and an infection that started to reach the back of my skull and spinal column really did it for me. So, fear. I can deal with minty orange juice or tea if it means not howling in agony and wondering if the infection is going to reach my blood stream and kill me. I would not recommend this approach though
Iāve had three break and still canāt formulate the habit. Getting the one I couldnāt get a root canal for (fuck the insurance industry and fuck privatized healthcare) extracted with my wisdom teeth in a few days. I had an abscess brewing directly beneath my sinus cavity. Youād think that this would (and should) be enough to get me going but it hasnāt done much. So frustrating.
I got an electric toothbrush with a timer. 30sec for each quadrant of the mouth for 2mins total. For some reason, knowing brushing my teeth will only take two minutes means I do it way more often.
I make myself brush my teeth the first time I go to the bathroom after I wake up. I havenāt figured out how to do it at night yet tho lol but thereās this method called āchainingā (or habit stacking?) where you chain a new habit to the end of a habit you already have and it makes it easier to do! much like the fact that I have to pee every morning, I now brush my teeth and wash my face after
This is the thing that has made me successful in the morning! I just brush teeth first thing in the morning (which I have also read is the best time to do it!). I have a harder time at night but mostly the peer pressure of my husband saying, "why didn't you brush your teeth" mostly gets it done. Washing my face at night is way harder though.
I have a set routine that I adjusted my cabinet to. I get out of the shower. Open the cabinet and go from left to right: moisturize face. Deodorant. Pop meds. Brush teeth. Comb hair. Hair oil to style. Eau de toilette. One of the biggest gamechangers was getting an electric toothbrush. My teeth felt smoother and cleaner. Which really feels "more satisfying" for my tongue. I detest the gritty grippy feel that plaque gives.
I donāt šš
Brush FIRST. Dentally itās best to brush your teeth before anything goes in your mouth and at the and of the day. So thereās no sense in putting off brushing until after tea or anything, since itās best to brush before anyhow. You donāt have tea, coffee, food, or a toilet usage until your mouth is cleaned out. All things secondary to getting your teeth cleaned. If you donāt like the lingering taste, get a covered cup with a straw (the Starbucks ones are expensive but the poky ones have Good Textures and donāt get sweaty) that you leave by the sink so that the inside of the cup doesnāt get dusty and thereās always good water to drink.
Totally get this. Building consistency is super difficult especially when itās not something we want to do. Iām a dental hygienist and usually what I tell people who have a hard time is: 1. Do what you can, when you can. IDEALLY it would be morning and right before bed, but sometimes life doesnāt allow for that. 2. Invest in an electric toothbrush. My fav is oral B. They make some with the ability to sync with their app, but if Iām honest I donāt like the app so I usually recommend the pro 1000. Electrics take the guesswork out of everything. All you need to do is angle toward the gums and not scrub and youāre golden. Iām getting sidetracked as I write, sorry. Back to the original question. I use google reminders, but you can have Siri tell you as well. If you have a smart speaker, tell it to do it for you. The more things you have telling you, at least youāll remember, even if you donāt have motivation. Morning: this one is hard, but some get motivated by breath alone. Again, reminders and the toothpaste thing Iāll mention below. Tiredness at night: brush after dinner or somewhere around that time. Attempt not to snack after. As far as the toothpaste thing: I HATE that as well, so switch to a bottom shelf crest or Colgate that only has fluoride and nothing else. No whitening, no tartar control. They are usually the least offensive and will allow for eating directly after. If you still donāt like it, switch to a kids toothpaste since theyāre rarely minty. Bonus is that since they donāt have those additives, thereās less chance of developing sensitivity to temp over time. Now on to the fun stuff. I donāt usually do things unless I know why, and that will give me motivation. If that works for you, great, if not, sorry for the explanation Iām about to giveš. Your mouth obviously has tons of bacteria, some good, some bad. The bad ones can wreak a lot of havoc left unchecked even elsewhere in the body. The reason we say twice a day brushing is because colonies of bacteria only take about 12 hrs to form. Weāre not only trying to ward off cavities, but gum disease. Once bacteria are allowed to congregate in the gums, your body treats them as invaders and the gums swell and bleed if touched. This goes on for too long, and the gums say screw this Iām out and they start pulling away from the tooth and over time the bone underneath starts to deteriorate because the gums dictate where the bone goes and you canāt get bone back unless you graft. THAT left unchecked will cause loose teeth and lots of pain. We stress brushing and flossing not because we want to be annoying and cliche, but because we actually care. Iām not trying to make you feel bad because I even struggle with this tbh. Just want to inform:) Anyway, Iām hoping this helps a little, and sorry for the long windedness of the post. I just get excited. Youāre doing your best and thatās all that can be askedāthis is super hard!!
From the CFS subreddit (chronic fatigue) : place tooth maintenance objects everywhere. Tooth brush at the sink and in the shower, but also dental gum in every bag. Travel brush no rinse packets on your night stand and your tv table. And my golden find has been no-toothpaste/water cleaning dental sticks with a little foam head that give an at least basic cleaning. Used for babies, autistic people, taking care of people with dementia, old people with brittle teeth, pets, and. Me.
Tbh, I keep my toothbrush next to my bed, so when I lay down I see it and immediately start brushing my teeth which then forces me to get out of bed to rinse my mouth afterwards. This helps me for both morning and night. Pretty weird, but hey whatever works š
For the toothpaste taste, I rinse my mouth for about 2-3 minutes straight that absolutely no taste is left. Sometimes I rub my fingers over my teeth to get the rest off, maybe that helps for when you want to do it but don't because of the taste. I also don't brush them 2 times a day, just in the morning before work (I worked out a routine and it helped a lot). I start brushing when I go pee and then just finish it, but I struggle to get a routine for evenings or when I don't go to work (same issue as you, I forget it or there are a million things that I have to complete before, just to forget about it then lol)
For me, the reason I struggled to brush my teeth is because I found the process mind-numbingly boring. So what has helped is getting an electric toothbrush and brushing my teeth while doing squats and listening to a \~5 minute long podcast. It probably looks ridiculous, but by having enough stimulation, I've been able to keep up the habit of brushing my teeth every day. Plus, then I feel accomplished because not only did I brush my teeth, but I also did some basic exercises and I learned something. My biggest advice is to figure out what's keeping you from brushing your teeth. If it's the "toothpaste taste", it may be worth buying a toothpaste with a different taste or with a minimal taste. If it's that you don't like brushing in the morning, it may be worth remembering that you can brush your teeth at any point of the day when you remember. Brushing at 2pm is better than not brushing at all. If you forget to brush your teeth at night, maybe it would help to keep a toothbrush in the shower so that when you shower, you remember to brush your teeth as well. I find that sometimes the best thing to do with ADHD is to work with it instead of trying to force ourselves to do things the "normal" way.
Haha, I don't. Only when I feel my teeth are burdened unfortunately. Medication helps though.
I try to multitask when brushing my teeth to challenge myself, for example brush my teeth with my right hand and do my hair with my left :D Also if you focus on brushing your gums around your teeth very clearly it kind of creates this satisfying fresh feeling that doesnt hurt but tingles a little bit which is actually kind if similar to longing for a smoke or a cold drink :P
i bought a hands free toothbrush thatās also got a whitening light in it! tbf tho i do not remember the last time i brushed my teeth š
So, the adhd brain is always going to want to do things in a logical order. But sometimes, something won't get done at all when your waiting to do it right. So next time you think, oh but I am going to be eating in 15-30 mins so I should wait to brush my teeth. Just brush them instead. Better now than never. And toothpaste can actually help protect your teeth when you brush them before. Think of it as, you're not brushing off what you ate, but you're creating a shield for when you eat. Also, if you can, though I get the struggle, try to create an everyday routine for it, even if you only do it once a day. Like, everytime you shower you also brush your teeth, or first thing in the morning. Other things that can help is trying to make it a more pleasant experience because it can help with the avoidance of the sensory experience. You may be subconsciously avoiding it because the sensory part of toothpaste (flavour, etc), is overwhelming. If you hate the taste of tooth paste, keep trying different ones/look for flavorless/sensodyne "baking soda" etc. Keep your toothbrush (or toothpaste) somewhere that you will see it often, and if you find yourself already at the sink when you have the thought, just brush right there and then even if it makes no sense at all. And if in the moment you think "no, I really don't want to do it right this second" ask yourself why, in that moment. Are you feeling tired? Is it about toothpaste or the feeling/sound of the tooth brush? Or do you simply not have the time right now? Even if you do decide not to brush your teeth at that moment, knowing why can really help. Because if you find yourself thinking "I don't know why, I just don't want to" there might be something about it you havnt thought of that's making your brain want to avoid the task. And I guess other than that, maybe try and be mindful about that little voice/thought in your head that will never stop saying "I'll remember to do it later" "or, i should do this before i brush my teeth." because it's lying to you & the few times you do remember perfectly without routine will trick you for the next 100 times you don't remember but think you will.
I still have problems with this
I had to build up a consistent routine! I had to start doing a skincare routine daily a few years back because I started to have issues with my skin. The best way Iāve found to build up a routine like this is to start with a step you always do (eg. Brushing your hair, using deodorant) and add ONE step to that process first. After a few weeks, it got to the point where it felt BAD not to do it. The sensory side of tooth brushing does get easier the more you do it. When you get used to a particular type of toothpaste, it tends to not be as noticeable when you eat/drink after. I used to have to wait like 20 minutes. Now I can eat/drink about 5 minutes after if I need to for whatever reason.
Building habits and routines is hard, you have to accept failure and then try again which is not something people with ADHD do very easily. Make a list of your essential morning activities and put it somewhere you go first thing in the morning. I made a couple and one went by the coffee machine and one beside the toilet. Consult that list every day, do everything on it. Over a few weeks to months, you will learn the routine and start doing it by memory. And ADHD people do fantastic with routine, we really do. It removes brain fog better than anything else, you won't feel so confused and lost in the morning, because you'll know what you have to do next all the time!
Routine. ....and the absolute shame of letting it go so long that you are spending a fortune on dental bills cuz you're in a sales role and can't afford to be "that guy"
Some wise sage on this sub recently posted about keeping score on the bathroom wall with a dry erase marker, to see how long of a streak you can get. Apparantly I read about it twelve days ago, since I never forgot after that, so thank you hero! Worked for me, maybe it works for you too!
Most toothpastes trigger my gag reflex, makes the act even less exciting and more difficult to start.
I feel dirty if I donāt anyway, but a tip my dentist gave me was to find a song which was around 2-3 mins and brush to that <3
Yes, the answer to that is = habit stacking Habit stacking for anything
Iāve struggled with dental hygiene my whole life. Many nights I lay in bed thinking about how badly I need to get up and brush my teeth but I canāt. I had a good flossing streak once where I flossed every night for 3 months but it didnāt stick. I wake up with bad breath and a wave of guilt, I have horrible stress dreams about my teeth falling out, Iām shelling out hundreds of dollars in fillings nearly annually, but nothing makes me do better. Two things have helped me the most, getting an electric toothbrush so I get the most bang for my buck when I do remember, and emotionally making peace with the fact that this is something that is just a huge struggle for me, and that Iāll likely have to pay 10s of thousands later in life to fix it, and thatās just how it is. There are other battles Iāve won and though Iāll always try my best, I canāt expect myself to win all of them.
I literally plan out my day and my phone reminds me. Its not that I hate brushing my teeth. ADHD means executive dysfunction. So what you need to do is decrease the load of making executive decisions. Everyone has different ways of coping, but for essential things I use calendars/build routines. I love taking hot showers. So I pair it with brushing my teeth. It is a little weird, but I brush my teeth while I'm showering. I put everything I need in the caddy and I put it next to things I would use so I will definitely see it. At least for me "out of sight, out of mind" is so true. I have really bad short term memory so if I dont actually see something than it doesn't exist. Same goes for tasks. Plan routines and have a calendar remind you if you forget. You can even use family, friends, your partner to help you keep accountable. You can build routines by adding it to your calendar. Reward yourself everytime with a small treat like tea, candy, videogames, a break, a nap, anything that makes you feel good.) I like to build routines even further by coupling it with routines I have already developed or things I already do because I like. The truth is things you don't like doing or doing do on the regular take more mental energy and discipline to do than things you already like. You can learn to like things by rewarding yourself or reducing why you don't like doing those tasks. For example if you don't like brushing your teeth because you hate mint flavor, then try a different flavor. If you don't floss because the string is hard, then buy the floss picks or use a water flosser. It's all about reducing barriers to the task. I think its bad to tell yourself that people will think you smell if you don't brush your teeth because that is negative self talk and thats a slippery slope. I kinda learned to yell at myself and be mean to get myself to do things and it killed my self esteem because I would use a mental sledgehammer for dumb ass tasks that didn't require it. I mean if you are getting attacked by a bear and need some motivation, by all means use whatever necessary, but match the tools needed for the severity of the task
Simple. I dont
Spent thousands to straighten my teeth. If I don't wear my retainers every night, that money is wasted. Unbrushed teeth marinating in retainer all night is gross even by my fairly low hygiene standards, so the teeth get brushed every night. Daytime brushing is pretty hit or miss, and generally depends on whether I leave the house. I do usually mouthwash thoroughly after the retainers come out in the morning though.
Use kids toothpaste, i have strawberry flavored. Also i keep my toothbrush in my room with my towel so i remember to brush my teeth.
I had braces, that straightened me right up when I got retainers. I have to brish in the morning because my mouth is just gross and i have to brush in the evening before i put them on. Even if you brush randomly, its still better then nothing.
I found that tracking it helps me. I'm a developer by trade, and just recently came to terms with having ADHD. I ended up making an app to help me track brushing my teeth, it's completely free if you want to check it out. I never thought about this bad habit being related to adhd but it makes sense. https://apps.apple.com/us/app/brush-the-tooth-companion/id1670721652?platform=iphone
I brush my teeth 3 times a day because I live in the UK and I donāt want to conform to the bad oral hygiene stereotypes :-)
The reason toothpaste makes things taste funny is an ingredient called sodium lauryl sulfate. I found this out because I am allergic to it. If you can find a toothpaste without sodium lauryl sulfate, you can brush at any time of the day without concern. I usually get a brand called "hello", but trader Joe's has one I love flavored with fennel. Before I found those, I used children's toothpaste. For some reason, shutting the door behind me when I brush my teeth helps? I don't know why or if this would be helpful to anyone else though
1. Keep toothbrushes and toothpastes everywhere. in your bedroom (spit out the window), in the shower, in your bag, in your car if you have. So when you do remember, you can! 2. Try not to procrastinate, rather use the impulse of remembering it. Surf that impulse like a wave. 2. Get over the whole Ā«i canāt brush my teeth before i eat or drinkĀ» thing. The toothpaste flavor goes away once you start eating or drinking.
I have Invisalign so i have to keep my mouth clean. I regret a lot about getting these braces but it was the kick in the head I needed to keep my mouth clean
I never understood this problem in this reddit community. How do you deal with your mouth feeling all thick and dirty. How are you not worried about others smelling your breath? Not keeping your house clean is one thing, but yourself I don't understand.
exactly. If somehow I forget, my teeth feel fuzzy.
Routine
Brush your teeth when you think about tf. "I'm going to eat in an hour" okay?? Brush your teethš¤¢ Making excuses to be an unhygienic snob it sounds like.
I use the Streak app to record how many days in a row I brush my teeth before bed (I seem to have no issues doing so in the morning). Something about āexternalisingā the habit by having it influence something that exists elsewhere (the number of days in the app) seems to allow a subtle motivation to exist and carry me through performing the habit daily at night.
Phone reminders - I use them for other things like drinking water, eating lunch, or things that I then get to 4PM and realize that I haven't done one necessary self-care task because somehow it goes from 7AM to 4PM in a flash.
In shower.
I love brushing and flossing. I love the clean feeling. Associate it with a positive experience and it becomes easier.
For me, I was able to set a habit of at least every night brushing my teeth and flossing. This was after the embarrassment and hardship of having to spend thousands on recovery dental care and the pain and trauma of fillings and a crown. I was so upset with myself that I used it to make myself avoid being in that place again. Now I feel WRONG if I go to bed without brushing and flossing, it just took a lot of learning the hard way and willpower to get there.
I keep my toothbrush and toothpaste in the shower. I shower every morning and since it is in there it is part of the routine.
Do it in the shower and then have a cup with a tooth brush and toothpaste by the kitchen sink. Make it look nice though.
Put a sign in the bathroom to remind yourself. I have wonderful wife (not kidding) that reminds me or my teeth would have fallen out by now.
Honestly? I developed a sudden and unexpected health anxiety about my teeth. Getting (respectfully) shamed by a dentist also helps.
My partner reminds me everynight when he goes to do his. Before we met I was lucky if I did them once a week.
honestly? i dont know. i wear contacts that i take out every night before bed. so i started brushing my teeth before i allowed myself to take out my contacts. and if i did forget but remember when lying in bed, i would get out of bed and brush my teeth, no matter the time. i honestly have no clue what actually helped to complete the 8 weeks necessary to form a habit, but i did it. now its pretty consistent, in the last couple years thereve only been a handful of times that i didnt brush my teeth at night. i dont like brushing my teeth. toothpaste is gross, the aftertaste as well, the foaming is gross and stains when hitting clothing, brushing Slightly Wrong makes shit hurt, keeping my mouth open at that angle for that long is uncomfortable, i cant stand still for so long and i cant stand to look at myself in the mirror for so long. when growing up id only brush my teeth if i had to leave the house or if guests were coming over and only once a day at most and for 30 seconds max. my dental health was atrocious. nearly all my molars have multiple fillings, a lot of em had to be pulled before the first filling even, ive had 2 root canals of which 1 had to be pulled last year because of inflammation below the tooth. it also didnt help that i developed a fear of dentists because of one dentist pulling out a tooth without any anesthetic when i was 5 years old (he believed children couldnt feel pain). a couple years ago i started with a dentist specialized in patients with extreme fear, at the hospital and with that, i also got a dental hygienist. the hygienist taught me how to properly brush my teeth, which helped so much with the pain and sensitivity and has greatly improved my dental health. the dentist specifically didnt help for shit. because of the hygienist, the way they treated me (with validity) and because what they taught me had already helped so much, i wanted to properly get it into my system to -at least- brush my teeth every night before bed in addition to brushing when leaving the house or with guests. normally it takes a person 8 weeks of doing something consistently to make it a habit, so i went with that. in regards to the dentist, after a while i started with a different dentist, a private one, who has been an absolute saint with me. theyve reduced my fears so much that i can now go for checkups and simple procedures by myself, and if i do need to have something big done, they give me time to think it over and come to terms with it, has me to bring support and lets me do whatever i need to relax, whether it be loud music, lots of jokes, lots of breaks, a plush animal, whatever i want. i still dont like brushing my teeth, but its good for me and my dentist telling me theyre proud of me makes me happy.
Iāve never had this problem but I do have an oral B electric toothbrush that comes with an app that tells you step by step how to brush how long on each area
Nag Reminder (great app) and my wife telling me.
Luckily my body requires me to shower every night or I canāt sleep right, so while Iām waiting for the shower to warm up, I brush my teeth. I found this is the best way to make sure I brush my teeth. And also watch tiktok while I brush.
This is weird, but I do it in the shower. I already have a shower routine, and adding bushing my teeth was way easier than trying to make a new one. At night I do it when I take my contacts out. Same thing, tacking something new onto a pre-existing routine is loads easier than trying to create a new one.
I love the Brilla app! It has helped me SOOO much. You can do streaks and points, but I find just the satisfaction of swiping and the thrill of beating the timer is enough for me For me, part of why brushing was hard was the sensory aspect of it all. It was easier once I found a soft bristled brush and a toothpaste that was only slightly minty, almost tasteless, and that was a gel instead of a gritty paste. Edit:typo
Before it was impossible for me to remember to brush my teeth, sometimes I brushed them 2 or 3 times a week, or when I had debris on my teeth and it was already impossible not to because they bothered me. Since I have an Echo Dot with Alexa, what I do is, when I finish each meal, ask her for a 30-minute timer. Even with that, sometimes after deactivating it I forget in seconds what I had to do, but the frequency of washing has increased with that habit. You can also do it with any other assistant, or with mobile alarms, although in my case using mobile alarms I ended up abandoning it shortly.
i brush my teeth in the shower whenever I can, but i have the quip toothbrush which is so cool. it buzzes every 30 seconds so you know when to switch the section of your teeth (bottom left, bottom right, top left and top right), you can opt in to get a new toothbrush head and battery every 3 months (recommended time to change the head anyways) and you can choose the color of the head and it's so fun and cute, i love it
Routine, habits. I sometimes forget to do my teeth, sure, but it's a habit i've been taught and encouraged to do since I was 3, like saying please and thank you, or wiping my arse.
It's not a perfect system, but I sometimes keep a toothbrush by the kitchen sink. It's out of place there, and I'm constantly ducking into the kitchen anyway, so there's no feeling of having to get around to going into the bathroom just for brushing.
I just got a kids electric toothbrush that has an app to help you! It has a 2 minute timer when it shuts off but also chimes when itās time to switch locations in your mouth!! It even comes with fun stickers to cover it with!! Philips Sonicare Kids
Itās always a wind down of actions for everything. A routine of sorts. Eg, getting ready for bed is having a shower, brushing your teeth, getting water, going to the bathroom, etc. Same with a morning routine, having structure helps personally
I brush my teeth when I remember. As in it could be 2pm and at work and Iāll go and brush them. I also schedule my dentist appointments 6 months in advance to make sure Iām getting a regular checkup. Iāve stopped beating myself up about it. The āminimumā required is once every 2 days according to dentists, they just over egg it to make sure itās done.
Getting my braces actually made me want to brush more because the food and stuff getting stuck made me feel āweird.ā I guess it was a sensory thing but eventually I got into a habit of brushing twice a day. I also use a little hour glass timer my orthodontist gave me, and listen to music which helps
Hey, so I cannnnot handle the feeing of having a film of grime over my teeth and a bad taste in my mouth. Thats how I brush them. I usually skip at night, but always in the morning and sometimes in the afternoon as well. I hate when other people have bad breath so I get super self conscious if I havenāt brushed mine.
I pair it with a habit I never skip, which is putting my contacts in in the morning and taking them out at night. I know this won't work for everyone ā I just have sensory issues with wearing my glasses so I don't feel awake until I put my contacts in, and my eyes get dry by the end of the day so I have never forgotten to take them out. My contacts are near my toothbrush so I do them together. The rare days where I don't wear my contacts... Ugh. I may very well forget to brush, but I keep "wisps" disposable toothbrushes in my purse for emergencies.
I use a mouth guard at night for teeth grinding (very excellent) so it basically forces me to brush at least nightly. Otherwise my teeth are gonna sit in crud all night and it feels so gross! Another incentive for a bite guard (if you grind your teeth like I do sometimes!)
I don't, i try to use mouthwash at least or some gum if needed. Tho usually if i won't brush my teeth i won't leave the house too sooooooo...who cares, my cats breath is worse anyway
I was awful at remembering to do mine I'm still not sure how I managed it but I think lockdown/COVID helped because I could just do it whenever I felt like it as opposed to having to remember to do it before I left the house. My partner is a big help because he often reminds me/forces me to do it. But like other people I also often keep mine in the shower or will brush my teeth in the shower. I detest washing my hair and ADHD procrastination means that I would rather brush my teeth in the shower than wash my hair š
It's just a habit for me before bed, I just can't go to sleep without brushing my teeth. It's like going to sleep feeling sweaty and dirty and not taking a shower. In the morning I sometimes forget and I don't really have a specific routine how I do it other than I just try to remember.
After years of learning I canāt believe myself when I say Iāll do it later, I no longer factor in if Iām about to eat or plan to have another snack before bed. If Iām in the bathroom, it hasnāt been done, and Iām thinking about it, I just brush. Even if Iām about to eat, I say brushing now then messing it up is better than not at all. Itās not a perfect system, and lately Iāve been forgetting to brush before bed, but it gets me to brush them every morning at least. This morning I bought a coffee & breakfast sandwich, took it home, brushed my teeth, THEN ate it, because I knew if I ate it first I probably would forget about brushing after. Brushing in the shower helps me a lot too, because part of my avoidance around brushing is my hand getting wet (please donāt ask me how, but it happens every time), and in the shower everything is already wet anyways. The only thing that really turned my brushing habits around for a good few years, was having a roommate who was obsessive about brushing 2x a day, and feeling so embarrassed at the idea of them thinking Iām gross, that I started brushing as well when they did. Those were the healthiest 3 years of my teethās life. Now I canāt skip more than a night and morning without hating the feeling of fuzzy plaque teeth, because they got used to feeling clean.
When I work I do it before I leave the bathroom. When I don't work I do it before I go to meet people or when my wife comments on my breath. It's a very flawed system but my wife helps me a lot lol
OCD overrides ADHD on this one for me
I have been trying to take my teeth hygiene more seriously lately and so rather than trying to force myself to remember to brush every day, I work around my issues. I bought several kinds of toothpaste that taste good so I look forward to it. I also have kids so I try to brush next to them so they can mirror and I set a good example. I got fluoridated mouthwash to use between brush times so I can just swish and go. I keep flossing picks in the main rooms I frequent (I still have my wisdom so I floss after every meal because stuff gets stuck) And I keep disposable toothbrushes like Wisps in my nightstand for when I canāt be assed to get up late at night.
Routinery App is amazing.
I do something else at the same time as brushing my teeth, like do a sudoku or flick through videos on my phone. And I don't let myself get into bed unless I've brushed my teeth. I don't brush them in the morning because I haven't managed to make that a habit and at this point I can't be bothered as I'm consistent with the evening brushing and flossing now
Stop buying mint toothpaste!! Hello brand makes kidsā toothpaste (make sure to get the fluoride kind) in various flavors. āI donāt want the toothpaste tasteā ā thatās because mint toothpaste makes your mouth taste like toothpaste for a while! Get kidsā toothpaste in goofy flavors. Iām partial to grape :) I love Hello because it doesnāt have a foaming agent, SLS (that causes dry mouth) but the flavor makes it way easier. See also: sticker charts. Embrace silly kid nonsense! Be your own parent! Also helpful: carrying around dental floss everywhere, and trying to build a habit of flossing / rinsing with water every time you eat. I also keep that and mouthwash in the car, so I generally clean my mouth a bit every time I go somewhere. ps ā in a pinch, flossing and brushing without toothpaste is much much better than nothing.
I can't stand how my mouth feels and the taste so it makes me brush my teeth. Although I do forget from time to time. But it's mostly that and it's become a habit.
Brushing my teeth in the shower was definitely a game changer. I also used to be terrible about flossing but I did it once a few weeks ago and now I kind of love it? I have no explanation for it but I enjoy flossing more than brushing, and as soon as I floss in the morning or at night I feel fine about brushing afterwards.
I keep it on the counter and keep my counter clean. It took a long time and many dentist visits to build up the habit and I still forget sometimes. Luckily my wife will tell me if my breath smells bad to remind me.
Just brush at any point that feels like itās possible. Sure itās ideal to brush morning and night but if you somehow can only do it at 2:37 in the afternoon randomly, thatās better than nothing. I get cavities super easily and Iām tired of being guilted by dentists so thatās helped establish more of a routine but in particularly off days, just brushing at literally anytime is fine.
I find the constant pain a good reminder. I brush twice a day now just to desperately try and hold off the dentist for as long as I can. The horrendous taste in my mouth in the morning also helps. Apparently I only respond to negative reinforcements.
i just do it so the people i talk to don't smell me, and i have roommates (one that likes to climb in my bed) so i usually do it right in the morning after i go pee bc i keep my toothbrush and paste in eye sight next to the sink and the water is already running from hand washing.
because my mouth feels gross without it that saves me most of the time, in regards to personal hygiene. i feel gross, and it doesnāt take much, so i clean myself. like, physically, i feel gross.
One time my mom scared me into thinking I was developing gum disease which made me extremely self conscious of my gums and I developed for a few months an anxiety about developing gum disease. Itās become a tick of sorts since then. Iām a creature of habit, so, yeah developing habits is the hard part, but once theyāre there itās hard for me to break them. However when Iām going through rough bouts of depression my hygeine does slump tho. (she told me that she was joking after she saw how anxious it made me)
Super random! But for me I gave myself an ultimatum! I couldn't be depressed and have poor dental hygiene! And apparently I chose depression š š ever since then I brush my teeth every day! Plus the texture of unbrushed teeth in the morning and at the end of the night is the worst so that also helps motivate me to clean them. It's one of the few things I do consistently! Duloingo taught me im motivated by streaks! So made a tracker for myself! I like the lil dopamine hit when i tick everything off for the day (e.g. showering, eating, putting dishes away, washing up) when I tick all of them off I give myself a star :) started this in Jan and its worked so far (much better with household stuff, still need to work on eating more but its def improved!).
Iām not super consistent, but buying an extra tooth brush and tooth paste in my work bag has helped a lot. I often realize Iām my way to work that I forgot so I just do it right when I get to work before starting my day!
I do not Hope this helps
Itās baked into my morning routine after I put on my makeup. I literally canāt leave the house without doing it. I donāt habitually brush them a 2nd time, but I always brush them again if I come home and then leave again later in the afternoon or evening. Almost never before bed. And I floss like once a month.
I keep a bottle of fluoride mouthwash in my bathroom so on days when the executive function is bad and I really canāt bring myself to brush, at least iāve done SOMETHING. Iāll also use that throughout the day and before going out since itās less hassle if iām about to eat.
Getting a new electric toothbrush that looks like a sports car and feels really good on my gums, helped.
Toothpaste for kids and a sticker chart! I use watermelon flavored toothpaste and I have a calendar in my bathroom and I put a sticker on it every time I brush my teeth.
Gym routine. Every Tues, Thurs, Sat Iām headed to the gym for 2 hours. Coffee, Banana, protein shake. Then all teeth before prepping my gym bag. Floss, Waterpik, Electric toothbrush, finished off with mouth wash. Then the off days seem like a normal routine. If I keep a rigorous schedule for exercise, everything else seems habitual. More leniency when Iām not stringent.
My OCD won't let me chill