PERSONAL HYGIENE AND HEALTHY CONDUCT

 Dare Oluwatayomi

Personal hygiene is defined as the act of taking care of the body and it involves employing healthy practices to keep the body clean.  

Good personal hygiene is a contributing factor to all-around wellness – mental well-being also relies on good hygiene. Healthy practices and overall carefulness about our body health and environment are conduct expected of everyone. Good personal hygiene keeps us and the people around us away from illnesses. Personal hygiene improves our appearance. Bathing, hand washing, brushing of teeth, washing and maintenance of our clothes, trimming of nails, etcetera are practices we can make a culture out of. Cleanliness and self-care are what define personal hygiene and they help prevent diseases and illnesses, such as flu, from spreading. Diseases caused by a lack of good hygiene have the potential to become an epidemic or pandemic. An example is Covid-19.  

To build a personal hygiene routine, there are several things to take note of. They include:

Dental hygiene: Dental hygiene involves more than just having a good set of white teeth. Good dental hygiene also prevents issues like bad breath (this is known as a major social disadvantage), gum disease and cavities. Brush at least twice a day for two minutes. This should be done in the morning and before going to bed. Floss between your teeth daily and ask your dentist about using an antibacterial mouthwash. These steps can help prevent tooth decay and eliminate pockets where bacteria and germs can build up.

Body hygiene: Regular baths prevent skin irritation and remove bacteria that cause body odour. Bathing completely removes sweat from the body and as a result, removes the stench that comes with sweat that has stayed on the body for a long time. Washing the hair also removes oil and keeps a person looking clean and fresh.

Hands and nail hygiene: Due to the most recent pandemic, hand washing has become a major requirement in all places. Regular hand washing is one of the best ways to avoid spreading communicable diseases. It is advised by the NCDC that hand washing should be done before, during, and after preparing food; before eating; before and after looking after a sick person; before and after treating a cut or wound; after coughing or sneezing; after touching garbage or dirty surfaces and objects. It is very important to wash your hands after using the restroom. Scrub with soap for twenty to thirty seconds and be sure to clean between the fingers, the back of the hands, and under the nails. Rinse with water and dry with a clean towel. Keeping the nails short is the best way to ensure that no dirt can gather underneath them. Scrubbing the underside of the nails with a nail brush can form part of your hand-washing routine.  

Menstrual hygiene: Sanitary products like pads, tampons, e.t.c should be changed regularly during menstrual cycles. It is important to bathe properly to wash off the unpleasant odour that comes with the oozing blood. These sanitary products should be disposed of properly. They should not be tossed around carelessly or found loitering about. Vaginas are self-cleaning so using soap to clean the vagina can cause an imbalance of its natural microflora and lead to infections. The vulva (the external part of the vagina) should be cleansed once a day using mild soap and water.

If you are not feeling well, you should take precautionary steps to keep yourself from spreading germs to others. This includes covering your mouth and nose when sneezing, wiping shared surfaces with an antibacterial wipe, and not sharing any utensils or electronics. Also, dispose of any soiled tissues immediately. 

Following all of these personal hygiene guidelines not only help in the prevention of diseases but also helps to boost self-esteem. Self-esteem and mental health are just as important as physical health to every young lady, so always be ready and eager to have and maintain healthy personal hygiene.