subject: Dentist Visits Without The Shame [print this page] You hear it every time you go to the dentist: You really need to brush and floss more often. You know the benefits, the potential negatives of continuing to shirk your dental duties, and even the shame that surfaces each time you see your dentist.
The truth is that you just never formed the habit of brushing, flossing, or both as a child. Well, it's time to parent yourself. Using a few time-tested tricks for the formation of habits, you'll be showing up at your next dentist appointment with a smile that's both healthy and shame-free.
1.Commit to a full month.
Consider it an experiment, if you need to, but promise yourself that you'll stick it out for the month. In that month, you'll see yourself as the future poster boy (or girl) for dental hygiene and pretend like you're in basic dental training. Hey, it's just a month, right? You can almost anything for 30 days, and once you've done it that long, it will have become a habit, and it'll be easy to get hooked!
2.Equip yourself.
Have you ever determined to diet one day, only to find yourself looking for a healthy late-night snack in a kitchen that's jam-packed with junk food? Or maybe you've set out to start a workout routine, but you lack the proper footwear or any videos or equipment. Either way, when you set out with a goal in mind but lack the tools you need for success, you're setting yourself up for failure. So make sure you have a good toothbrush, an extra tube of toothpaste, and a couple packages of floss.
3.Add it to the to-do list.
Whether you use a paper calendar, list paper, or a digital method, you really need to put brushing and flossing up there with the other tasks that you complete each day. If crossing items off on a to-do list gives you satisfaction, taking care of your pearly whites can become a source of that emotional high.
4.Use the buddy system and triggers.
Does someone else in your family struggle with dental duties, too? By keeping one another accountable, you can help encourage each other's success. Maybe sitting in front of a sitcom together, flossing away, can become a healthy sort of bonding routine, too. On that note, triggers of other activities around which you schedule your new healthy activities can help make them become automatic.
5.Reward yourself.
Set a realistic goal of maybe 5 days out of every 7, and reward yourself each week that you reach that goal. Don't feel like this is silly or immature-you're just doing for yourself what your parents probably never did for you, and you deserve it! If your rewards-of-choice are edible, just make sure to eat them before you brush and floss!
By following these simple tricks for habit formation, the next time you visit the dentist, you'll be able to smile without the shame.
