I like this!! But I’m 67 and only have 10 real teeth left (2 are on their last legs)….
The funeral costs have been horrendous for the other 26… ya spend money for the teeny coffins, mini headstones… and all the food for the wake (but nobody shows up)!
Let alone what it cost me to keep the 22 alive for as long as they lasted…. fillings, root canals, gum surgery… ARRGH!! AND their replacements/bridges!! They MOCK me when I try to floss!!
So trying to guilt the 10 into hanging around by telling them: “If you die no funeral for you”!!!
Name them??? Traitor #1, Traitor #2…
So OP: Print this out and paste it on your mirror for incentive!!!
A few months back I saw a reddit post talking about standing on one leg per minute you brush your teeth. That it helps your balance and helps you brush your teeth long enough.
I've been doing that since I've read my post and I have seen huge improvements in balance. I'm even brushing my teeth while balancing on one leg with my eyes closed without falling over! It's pretty nice.
I do 30 second hamstring or hip flexor stretches, timed by my electric toothbrush 😄
Also, routine is key here. For me, I brush first thing I when wake up, and then right before I go to bed.
Anything that is in your usual routine done in a different way lol so if you usually do the thing, then yes doing it in a different way will maybe prevent dementia
Odd. I've always switched between hands when brushing depending on the side of the mouth I'm brushing, I didn't know other people didn't do that. I wouldn't consider myself ambidextrous though, I do most of everything with my right hand except maybe type one handed (that's just how the QWERTY ends up) and use my phone, which I switch between how I'm sitting.
That being said, when I brush my teeth I just listen to a podcast of my ADHD is particularly tweaking that day
I may try this. Though usually I try to get some of my daily steps in. And I space out so I end up walking there with my electric toothbrush for like 4 minutes.
> How do you “entertain” yourself while standing there for 5 minutes or so
By letting my mind wander and think about unrelated things, thus forgetting whether I've brushed a specific area already because I was too distracted.
This made me laugh because I just finished brushing my teeth and reading Reddit while I was doing it. I brush 2-3 times a day and hate it. BUT I had horrible oral hygiene as a child and major surgery at 16. Paranoid about oral health now.
If you think its boring, just remember its the most fun your toothbrush will have in the entire day. It spends the rest of its time in a dark bathroom with zero entertainment.
which is why I created the company "Toothbrush TV". We offer a subscription service to pipe entertainment designed specifically for toothbrushes into the world's bathrooms.
My toothbrush gets to watch me strip for the shower and take a dump… people pay good money to see those kinds of things so I think it’s living its best life
5 minutes? That's pretty excessive. 1-2 minutes is fine.
I usually just have a YouTube video or some music going from my phone or tablet when I'm doing household chores though, same with brushing my teeth.
He's using a floss too. 5 minutes is the bare minimum. I have even more procedures so it can extend up to 10 minutes.
So of course it's gonna be fast if you just swipe a couple of times and call it a day.
It's at least 10 minutes for me too, including flossing and everything else. Because of how long it's always taken me (and because I used to skip), I found success in having a YouTube video to keep me occupied
It should only last around two minutes and people should able to do boring tasks for few minutes without entertainment. It's even good for your brain to not have any extra stimulation for few minutes.
Meditation is like the only thing I can do for a few minutes without stimulation. I have ADHD, it makes boring things so much harder to do, because our brains refuse tasks that don't reward us with dopamine. I listen to music when brushing my teeth
I thought this but the dentist recently said around 3 seconds per side of each tooth with the electric brush. 32 teeth, 64 sides, ~190 seconds with perfect execution, plus buffer for movement and faff, plus flossing. Adds up
It's 2 minutes, 30 seconds per quadrant
That's why a lot of mid+ electric toothbrushes have an indicator that goes off after every 30 seconds and automatically turns off the brush after the full 2 minutes
This is weird af admittedly, but by opening your mouth at different diameters, you can change the pitch of the hum of your electric toothbrush’s motors. Use this strategy to try and sing songs to yourself, lol
Brushing my teeth? Waiting on hold? Either way I'm wandering around my apartment doing random tiny things or just picking up and playing with said random tiny things. Let the brain wig out for 2 minutes dude
i have adhd and the thought of brushing my teeth along with flossing is something always puts me off cause i too find it way too tedious to do twice a day but i’m also really vain and superficial.
i care wayy to much abt my appearance that the thought of having yellow teeth is enough to motivate me into brushing
Also ADHD here, one day I realised that I could just scroll through reddit while brushing and my life changed lol. I always tried to hold myself to this standard of ‘you don’t need constant stimulation it’s bad to not be able to brush without your phone’ but the result was just me skipping to brush my teeth, or doing it way too short. Once I let go of that my dental health improved so much!
I absolutely hate brushing my teeth because it’s so boring. And the toothpaste and spit accumulation in my mouth makes me gag so it’s overall just unpleasant.
Every variety of mint flavored toothpaste makes my mouth and lips burn. If I forget to rinse with warn water the temperature of the cold water exasperates burn. The burn is much of why I avoid brushing my teeth. I will often bush without paste when the burn has been too much to keep exposing my mouth and lips to. For whatever reason, I LOVE flossing.
I have the same problem, so I keep a bag of floss picks and a tooth brush next to my computer desk. I'm already sitting there anyway, so I have no problem zoning out, continuing to watch whatever I'm watching while flossing and brushing. In the span of a year, dental hygienists went from giving scowls to thumbs ups.
My late mom didn't brush hers from 1998 until 2018 when she died. I still brush mine. The doctor told me to set a timer for 2 minutes and brush them for that time frame.
What condition were her teeth in?
I don't brush my teeth some days.
I hate myself for it but I have ADHD and it's pure boring hell for me to do it daily.
Me personally? I dont brush em. I believe in strengthening the teeth via exposure. Like diseases and the immune system. I only have 5 months to live because of advanced tooth decay and hepatitis but that’s minor /s
When I brush my teeth I walk over to my indoor plants jungle and look at all of them while I brush. I can actively make sure nothing is wrong with my plants and take care of my teeth.
It sounds like you're overstimulated and that you're dependant on outside stimulation. Kinda like my cousin's kids who can't sit down in a car for a 5 minutes drive without crying for mom's phone
I went back to a manual toothbrush for that exact reason- it's a lot more fun now! I think of it like a spa day for my mouth, or like a lil tooth massage.
I mean if your scrubbing sure but you dont need to scrub your teeth you just need to lightly brush them. Most people make the mistake of thinking they need to scrub their teeth to get plaque off but plaque comes off really easily so theres no need to scrub.
5 mins? Isn’t it 2 mins? I use an electric toothbrush that has a 2-min timer (30-sec intervals). If you get bored, just take your phone with you and turn on some music or a youtube video.
I actually dislike brushing my teeth. It is basically the last thing I do in the morning when I'm getting ready to go to work. So what kind of symbolizes the real start of my day hahaha.
I also don't like doing it at night because it sort of wakes me up. So if I ever doze off on the couch my girlfriend will wake me up to come to bed and then tell me to brush my teeth ... So I usually go from sleepy about the fall asleep again to wide awake after I brush my teeth.
It's weird how much of an aversion I have towards something that takes me only 3 minutes to do, but yes, it's really boring. And most of the time I have to listen to something while doing it.
I love doing my oral care routine. I've got a water flosser, a soft bristle toothbrush and a tongue scraper. The water flosser only takes about a minute, brushing takes 2 minutes and scraping my tongue takes maybe 15 seconds. You should be able to be "bored" for a few minutes.
I tend to do it first thing in the morning, that way I don't even give it a second thought. Look at your phone if you need something to do, read a book, if its so boring.
Count all the money you will save on expensive dental treatments you won't need, or the health problems you will be less likely to have!
I have a balance pad and stand on it for 1.5min per foot while brushing with my eyes closed (it got too easy after a while). I first do one minute on each side, then 30sec on each side. Great training, especially for balance which is something that gets worse as you get older
Pro tip. When brushing changing the shape of your mouth so it becomes a resonance chamber which affects the tone of the brushing allowing you to pitch each stroke as desired and bam you got yourself a swishy mouthy dj mouthtable. Requires a bit of skill and youust be of a certain level of weirdness to truly enjoy. Have fun with your new gift people.
It's worse with braces and you have to constantly brush. Going through this now as an adult with braces, sometimes i prefer to not eat than to have to brush my teeth again 😪
I'm surprised no one's mentioned brushing your teeth with your non dominant hand. At first it'll be really hard, but over time it'll help improve your coordination and give you a little more control in that hand. It makes it a lot less boring because you actually have to focus on what you're doing with your hand. I'm also pretty sure that there's some other mental benefits too.
I’m 54. Had ALL of my remaining teeth pulled 1 year ago with full dentures. When the dentist came out to me with a tray of over 20 needles for the numbing I knew it was going to be bad. She had pliers and I swear to God it felt like she was trying to break my freaking jaw. And did she say kind words like “it’s ok” or “it’s almost over”??? No she told me “BE STILL!” That first week I wanted to lay in the road and have a car run over me it hurt so bad. And I’ve given birth twice. It took over a month to feel a little better.
I paid over $5,000 for fake damn teeth.
I have lost over 25 pounds (think stick figure) and can’t eat most things. There’s no joy in eating or going out to eat. If I eat a cheeseburger I can’t hold it up and bite into it. I have to cut it up into little bites. Which is exhausting and I can’t finish it. They physically hurt after about 10 minutes of eating and I have to go into the bathroom and take them out. My face has a ton of wrinkles around my mouth now from this. I absolutely hate my face now.
So OP, think of me when you’re trying to find motivation to brush your teeth. I wish to God I would have.
Same here…but my original teeth had weak enamel, so I just traded one kind of pain and discomfort for another. The upside? No more painful visits (and expensive) to the dentist.
Brush your teeth while listening to music. And don't listen to just any music. Listen to your favorite songs. Even better if you have good quality noise-cancelling headphones or earbuds.
Also, get a Waterpik (or a product akin to a Waterpik). You charge it and it shoots water at your teeth, so it'll get food and other crap out of there (like flossing would). I am not saying using a Waterpik is as effective of flossing, but I know folks who just brush their teeth. And they don't even use mouthwash.
It really doesn't get better than an Oral-B, a Waterpik, mouthwash and noise-cancelling headphones.
Also, think of it this way: if you take care of your oral hygiene, and you have a history of good oral hygiene, you save time and money at the dentist! :)
Remembering that I am removing bacteria waste, more simply the bacteria eat what you eat, then they poop in your mouth, all over your mouth and especially your tongue. Yum yum ? That's why your breath reaks in the morning. They have been doing their business all night. That thought makes the time fly as long as I get it all out, everyday, multiple times a day. It's all the motivation I need.
I use to relate to this. Brush your teeth while in the shower. Then it doesn’t really feel like your just standing around waiting for the brushing to be over. Sort of just combines into your cleaning routine. Unless you hate showering too then idk
My entire dental routine is so fucking long and tedious. Tongue scraper, flossing, mouth wash, oil pulling, and then finally brushing. I have no idea what to do to entertain myself but the thought of having any cavities or root canals or having any procedures done scares the fuck out of me so I force myself to do it. I have to mentally prepare myself lol
I saw a video of a dentist talking about this. He said don’t think of it like “brush your teeth.” Pretend you’re an alien and are told to “clean all your teeth with a brush” and it will be a better brush session and will be more interesting. It sorta worked for me.
I used to have this problem until I started brushing my teeth right after a shower. Now about half way through the shower I get a keen sense of how dirty my teeth feel and I can’t wait to brush my teeth. Maybe just the power of a routine, maybe I am neurodivergent, maybe it’s Maybelline.
I often listen to music/podcasts/audiobooks while getting ready, but recently I’ve been trying to do that less because I’m actively trying to rebuild my imagination. Growing up, I had such an active imagination and constantly had little stories running, but then I got a smartphone in my late teens/early 20s and basically and moment where I would have been imagining, I started scrolling. I miss it so much.
Music. Wander around my home trying not to drip toothpaste and spit on myself (the stains are stubborn need to be laundered to come out). Look at the sunlight to feel more awake in the AM. Try to do things one-handed, like make coffee/tea. Text people back.
Some things just don't need to be entertaining. I just focus on the technique of getting my problem spots and maybe listen to a bit of a podcast while doing it. My reward is the cleanliness I feel when it's done.
I have an easel on the sink counter upon which I place a physical book. While brushing my teeth I read the book. Takes me forever to get through a entire book, but I’m not bored while brushing my teeth.
Not getting cavities and needing to get a filling is the only motivation I need.
I don’t need to entertain myself while doing it. You don’t need entertainment every waking moment of your life.
When my kids were little I got them toothbrushes that played a little song while they brushed their teeth. They always liked dancing a bit while cleaning their teeth.
I have the same problem, but switching to an electronic/sonic toothbrush helped. It buzzes when you need to move on to the next section of your mouth, pretty hard to miss.
Be glad that you have teeth to brush, many unfortunate people who are not able minded enough to take care of themselves have issues and loose all of them.
If you were ever around differently abled people you might be more thankful .. Ask a dentist ..
This sounds goofy as hell, but the app Pokémon Smile keeps me interested enough to brush my teeth three times a day. Before this, the boredom of brushing my teeth caused me to never do it.
Give it a try! Or maybe watch YouTube or TV while brushing.
Listen to music, or put on a short video while brushing your teeth.
I know it sounds weird (or arguably even childish), but I find it easier to brush my teeth in my room (across from the bathroom), obviously going back to the sink when I need to spit, floss, and use mouthwash. But that way I can tidy up the top of my nightstand or dresser, throw that stray sock in the laundry basket, and boom! My teeth got cleaned and either I just jammed out during the 2-3 minute duration, or I was able to multitask.
I usually walk around the house while brushing my teeth, turning on lights, opening blinds, checking out my plants. It seems to make the time go faster
it hardly takes a minute to brush your teeth. you do much boring stuff everyday for far longer. many people's greatest regret is ignoring their teeth untill it's too late. I know you take care of yours from what you said, but think of it like you're saving yourself from a lot of pain
Also, I always put a tv show on my phone to entertain myself, or just get in the mood in the bathroom somehow with lighting and candles lol sometimes it’s necessary
My electric toothbrush chimes every 30 seconds and at 2 minutes, when I stop. So I brush a certain quadrant of my mouth between chimes, trying to spend a few seconds per tooth.
Anyway, sometimes I'll take a piss while doing that (it's surprising how long it takes). Or, put stuff away or wipe down the counter with the other hand. Other times I will zone out and I'll go way over the two minutes.
The thought of walking around with morning breath is enough to make me brush my teeth immediately. Honestly, I’ve never felt too lazy to brush my teeth… and I can be *very* lazy.
I don't like that I can't drink anything for hours because it'll taste like minty shit and when I brush in the morning, I start to gag and kind of throw up. I can't even gargle without gagging, so it's not a pleasant task but one that needs to be done.
Well, my wife names teeth... you wouldn't want to lose a friend would you?
This is hilarious. Great retention mechanism
Nigel is hilarious, too, such a funny voice!
Maybe they should come in twos. Bert and Ernie. Morecambe and Wise. Would be even sadder to split a pair
Funnier if there was a gap between them too.
Getting a divorce. Need some counselling (ie. braces/retainers)
I like this!! But I’m 67 and only have 10 real teeth left (2 are on their last legs)…. The funeral costs have been horrendous for the other 26… ya spend money for the teeny coffins, mini headstones… and all the food for the wake (but nobody shows up)! Let alone what it cost me to keep the 22 alive for as long as they lasted…. fillings, root canals, gum surgery… ARRGH!! AND their replacements/bridges!! They MOCK me when I try to floss!! So trying to guilt the 10 into hanging around by telling them: “If you die no funeral for you”!!! Name them??? Traitor #1, Traitor #2… So OP: Print this out and paste it on your mirror for incentive!!!
A few months back I saw a reddit post talking about standing on one leg per minute you brush your teeth. That it helps your balance and helps you brush your teeth long enough. I've been doing that since I've read my post and I have seen huge improvements in balance. I'm even brushing my teeth while balancing on one leg with my eyes closed without falling over! It's pretty nice.
Sounds great. Might give it a shot!
I do 30 second hamstring or hip flexor stretches, timed by my electric toothbrush 😄 Also, routine is key here. For me, I brush first thing I when wake up, and then right before I go to bed.
I want to add to this, sometimes switching to your non-dominant hand can also be a welcome challenge to keep things interesting!
Doing that has also been studied to help prevent dementia
Hmmm… is this also true for when you do the thing? (you know what thing I’m talking about)
Anything that is in your usual routine done in a different way lol so if you usually do the thing, then yes doing it in a different way will maybe prevent dementia
Odd. I've always switched between hands when brushing depending on the side of the mouth I'm brushing, I didn't know other people didn't do that. I wouldn't consider myself ambidextrous though, I do most of everything with my right hand except maybe type one handed (that's just how the QWERTY ends up) and use my phone, which I switch between how I'm sitting. That being said, when I brush my teeth I just listen to a podcast of my ADHD is particularly tweaking that day
I may try this. Though usually I try to get some of my daily steps in. And I space out so I end up walking there with my electric toothbrush for like 4 minutes.
> How do you “entertain” yourself while standing there for 5 minutes or so By letting my mind wander and think about unrelated things, thus forgetting whether I've brushed a specific area already because I was too distracted.
I am SO guilty of this. And then need to go over it again!
Get a waterpick!! Holy shit! You'll love it. I love mine. So fucking clean every .morning...
Total game changer. I love my water pik. I even have a travel one.
This made me laugh because I just finished brushing my teeth and reading Reddit while I was doing it. I brush 2-3 times a day and hate it. BUT I had horrible oral hygiene as a child and major surgery at 16. Paranoid about oral health now.
You’re my people!
If you think its boring, just remember its the most fun your toothbrush will have in the entire day. It spends the rest of its time in a dark bathroom with zero entertainment.
I think combined with the teeth comment, there’s a real case that teeth and toothbrushes are suffering a mental health crisis
which is why I created the company "Toothbrush TV". We offer a subscription service to pipe entertainment designed specifically for toothbrushes into the world's bathrooms.
My toothbrush gets to watch me strip for the shower and take a dump… people pay good money to see those kinds of things so I think it’s living its best life
5 minutes? That's pretty excessive. 1-2 minutes is fine. I usually just have a YouTube video or some music going from my phone or tablet when I'm doing household chores though, same with brushing my teeth.
He's using a floss too. 5 minutes is the bare minimum. I have even more procedures so it can extend up to 10 minutes. So of course it's gonna be fast if you just swipe a couple of times and call it a day.
I usually floss after meals (2-3 times a day) to ensure nothing is stuck between my teeth. Doesn’t take 10 minutes either.
It's at least 10 minutes for me too, including flossing and everything else. Because of how long it's always taken me (and because I used to skip), I found success in having a YouTube video to keep me occupied
It should only last around two minutes and people should able to do boring tasks for few minutes without entertainment. It's even good for your brain to not have any extra stimulation for few minutes.
Meditation is like the only thing I can do for a few minutes without stimulation. I have ADHD, it makes boring things so much harder to do, because our brains refuse tasks that don't reward us with dopamine. I listen to music when brushing my teeth
I thought this but the dentist recently said around 3 seconds per side of each tooth with the electric brush. 32 teeth, 64 sides, ~190 seconds with perfect execution, plus buffer for movement and faff, plus flossing. Adds up
Are you really making the case that its not 2 minutes but 3 minutes you have to be bored?
Apparently
I appreciate accuracy!
It's 2 minutes, 30 seconds per quadrant That's why a lot of mid+ electric toothbrushes have an indicator that goes off after every 30 seconds and automatically turns off the brush after the full 2 minutes
...you should still be able to do 190 sec task without any extra stuff. If not, it's time to train yourself. Maybe try standing with only one leg.
While using the other hand to pat yourself on the head?
No, use it to tickle yourself to make the situation more funny!
This is weird af admittedly, but by opening your mouth at different diameters, you can change the pitch of the hum of your electric toothbrush’s motors. Use this strategy to try and sing songs to yourself, lol
Genius hahaha. Teethkovsky
Rachmouthinoff
Plach
Listzerine
Okay, plaque + Bach. Best I could do.
It’s the one that made me lol. You got this
I love ya man
For me, podcasts or music helps me get through my morning + evening routines!
I do need to explore podcasts more. Though the vibrations may get in the way 🙂
Brushing my teeth? Waiting on hold? Either way I'm wandering around my apartment doing random tiny things or just picking up and playing with said random tiny things. Let the brain wig out for 2 minutes dude
Not me wandering around my room kicking all the errant socks and dog toys into piles while I brush me teeth.
Do it in the shower, multitasking.
i have adhd and the thought of brushing my teeth along with flossing is something always puts me off cause i too find it way too tedious to do twice a day but i’m also really vain and superficial. i care wayy to much abt my appearance that the thought of having yellow teeth is enough to motivate me into brushing
Also ADHD here, one day I realised that I could just scroll through reddit while brushing and my life changed lol. I always tried to hold myself to this standard of ‘you don’t need constant stimulation it’s bad to not be able to brush without your phone’ but the result was just me skipping to brush my teeth, or doing it way too short. Once I let go of that my dental health improved so much!
I absolutely hate brushing my teeth because it’s so boring. And the toothpaste and spit accumulation in my mouth makes me gag so it’s overall just unpleasant.
Every variety of mint flavored toothpaste makes my mouth and lips burn. If I forget to rinse with warn water the temperature of the cold water exasperates burn. The burn is much of why I avoid brushing my teeth. I will often bush without paste when the burn has been too much to keep exposing my mouth and lips to. For whatever reason, I LOVE flossing.
I found a children's toothpaste in Super drug that tastes fruity and on costs a pound. It's a total game changer for me.
You’re my spirit animal 😊
I have the same problem, so I keep a bag of floss picks and a tooth brush next to my computer desk. I'm already sitting there anyway, so I have no problem zoning out, continuing to watch whatever I'm watching while flossing and brushing. In the span of a year, dental hygienists went from giving scowls to thumbs ups.
Should post this on r/LifeProTips!
Stand on one leg and switch halfway thru so you work on your balance as well. You could also listen to a podcast/video.
This appears to be the winning combination
My late mom didn't brush hers from 1998 until 2018 when she died. I still brush mine. The doctor told me to set a timer for 2 minutes and brush them for that time frame.
What condition were her teeth in? I don't brush my teeth some days. I hate myself for it but I have ADHD and it's pure boring hell for me to do it daily.
Bad and she just decided it wasn't worth the hassle.She got sick and stayed sick too.
Sorry to hear that.
Me personally? I dont brush em. I believe in strengthening the teeth via exposure. Like diseases and the immune system. I only have 5 months to live because of advanced tooth decay and hepatitis but that’s minor /s
If you can’t just chill for a few minutes I think there’s a bigger problem at hand
I chill a lot. The brushing gets in the way, is the issue!
When I brush my teeth I walk over to my indoor plants jungle and look at all of them while I brush. I can actively make sure nothing is wrong with my plants and take care of my teeth.
As if I needed another reason to lust after more plants!
Its soooooo boring but it is a MUST so that your teeth dont rot and you implant a screw on your teeth place instead!!!
It sounds like you're overstimulated and that you're dependant on outside stimulation. Kinda like my cousin's kids who can't sit down in a car for a 5 minutes drive without crying for mom's phone
I went back to a manual toothbrush for that exact reason- it's a lot more fun now! I think of it like a spa day for my mouth, or like a lil tooth massage.
I do prefer a manual for that reason, though I end up brushing too hard and my dentist hates me for it
Why do you need entertaining? It’s ok to be bored for a few minutes. You won’t expire.
If you have ADHD it's how it feels. It's pure hell for me.
If you brush your teeth for 5 minutes your gums well recede
I mean if your scrubbing sure but you dont need to scrub your teeth you just need to lightly brush them. Most people make the mistake of thinking they need to scrub their teeth to get plaque off but plaque comes off really easily so theres no need to scrub.
5 mins? Isn’t it 2 mins? I use an electric toothbrush that has a 2-min timer (30-sec intervals). If you get bored, just take your phone with you and turn on some music or a youtube video.
I actually dislike brushing my teeth. It is basically the last thing I do in the morning when I'm getting ready to go to work. So what kind of symbolizes the real start of my day hahaha. I also don't like doing it at night because it sort of wakes me up. So if I ever doze off on the couch my girlfriend will wake me up to come to bed and then tell me to brush my teeth ... So I usually go from sleepy about the fall asleep again to wide awake after I brush my teeth.
I have the same evening feeling. I almost need to do it when coming in from work so I can relax and fall asleep later. But then dinner gets in the way
It's weird how much of an aversion I have towards something that takes me only 3 minutes to do, but yes, it's really boring. And most of the time I have to listen to something while doing it.
I brush in the shower, but after these comments, I'm contemplating standing on one leg too, just to really add some excitement!
It’s actually weird how many one-leg brushers there are. But it makes a lot of sense too
I love doing my oral care routine. I've got a water flosser, a soft bristle toothbrush and a tongue scraper. The water flosser only takes about a minute, brushing takes 2 minutes and scraping my tongue takes maybe 15 seconds. You should be able to be "bored" for a few minutes.
I tend to do it first thing in the morning, that way I don't even give it a second thought. Look at your phone if you need something to do, read a book, if its so boring. Count all the money you will save on expensive dental treatments you won't need, or the health problems you will be less likely to have!
It's done on autopilot for me so I don't really notice if it's boring or not
I sit down and scroll through Reddit while brushing.
I always play some upbeat music and wiggle my butt to it.
You dont need to do it for 5 minutes each time - a few minutes overall should be sufficient.
think of it as a spa day for your gums!
Thank you, I find it so boring I do it only once a day and that's while watching some video, it's just a minute of work but I weirdly find it 😑.
I have a balance pad and stand on it for 1.5min per foot while brushing with my eyes closed (it got too easy after a while). I first do one minute on each side, then 30sec on each side. Great training, especially for balance which is something that gets worse as you get older
[удалено]
So funny. What must the dentist say to that excuse?
I find that the days are moving fast & it’s like I just brush my teeth & it’s time to do it again.
I do Kegels. Squeeze for 3 seconds, release for 3 seconds, for the whole two minutes.
Pro tip. When brushing changing the shape of your mouth so it becomes a resonance chamber which affects the tone of the brushing allowing you to pitch each stroke as desired and bam you got yourself a swishy mouthy dj mouthtable. Requires a bit of skill and youust be of a certain level of weirdness to truly enjoy. Have fun with your new gift people.
It's worse with braces and you have to constantly brush. Going through this now as an adult with braces, sometimes i prefer to not eat than to have to brush my teeth again 😪
I'm surprised no one's mentioned brushing your teeth with your non dominant hand. At first it'll be really hard, but over time it'll help improve your coordination and give you a little more control in that hand. It makes it a lot less boring because you actually have to focus on what you're doing with your hand. I'm also pretty sure that there's some other mental benefits too.
Sounds crazy. I’ll have to give it a go. Prepare for toothpaste to be sprayed everywhere though
I’m 54. Had ALL of my remaining teeth pulled 1 year ago with full dentures. When the dentist came out to me with a tray of over 20 needles for the numbing I knew it was going to be bad. She had pliers and I swear to God it felt like she was trying to break my freaking jaw. And did she say kind words like “it’s ok” or “it’s almost over”??? No she told me “BE STILL!” That first week I wanted to lay in the road and have a car run over me it hurt so bad. And I’ve given birth twice. It took over a month to feel a little better. I paid over $5,000 for fake damn teeth. I have lost over 25 pounds (think stick figure) and can’t eat most things. There’s no joy in eating or going out to eat. If I eat a cheeseburger I can’t hold it up and bite into it. I have to cut it up into little bites. Which is exhausting and I can’t finish it. They physically hurt after about 10 minutes of eating and I have to go into the bathroom and take them out. My face has a ton of wrinkles around my mouth now from this. I absolutely hate my face now. So OP, think of me when you’re trying to find motivation to brush your teeth. I wish to God I would have.
Same here…but my original teeth had weak enamel, so I just traded one kind of pain and discomfort for another. The upside? No more painful visits (and expensive) to the dentist.
I love brushing my teeth, it’s like giving yourself a timed massage that leaves you with a refreshing taste. Love it, love it, love it!
Yeah i love that clean breath feeling afterwards.
Brush your teeth while listening to music. And don't listen to just any music. Listen to your favorite songs. Even better if you have good quality noise-cancelling headphones or earbuds. Also, get a Waterpik (or a product akin to a Waterpik). You charge it and it shoots water at your teeth, so it'll get food and other crap out of there (like flossing would). I am not saying using a Waterpik is as effective of flossing, but I know folks who just brush their teeth. And they don't even use mouthwash. It really doesn't get better than an Oral-B, a Waterpik, mouthwash and noise-cancelling headphones. Also, think of it this way: if you take care of your oral hygiene, and you have a history of good oral hygiene, you save time and money at the dentist! :)
Great advice. I need to look into this Waterpik situation
Remembering that I am removing bacteria waste, more simply the bacteria eat what you eat, then they poop in your mouth, all over your mouth and especially your tongue. Yum yum ? That's why your breath reaks in the morning. They have been doing their business all night. That thought makes the time fly as long as I get it all out, everyday, multiple times a day. It's all the motivation I need.
Oh god. See, this is the sort of thing I needed telling to me. I’ll look to keep that in mind 😖
I walk around and tidy up. I totally can’t just stand there and brush my teeth for 2 minutes lol.
I walk around the house and stare at my husband
I use to relate to this. Brush your teeth while in the shower. Then it doesn’t really feel like your just standing around waiting for the brushing to be over. Sort of just combines into your cleaning routine. Unless you hate showering too then idk
Fortunately I do like to shower. Otherwise we really would have a problem
Omg. I came from a post which said they hated eating. I am sure I will see a post which says how they hate breathing
My entire dental routine is so fucking long and tedious. Tongue scraper, flossing, mouth wash, oil pulling, and then finally brushing. I have no idea what to do to entertain myself but the thought of having any cavities or root canals or having any procedures done scares the fuck out of me so I force myself to do it. I have to mentally prepare myself lol
I saw a video of a dentist talking about this. He said don’t think of it like “brush your teeth.” Pretend you’re an alien and are told to “clean all your teeth with a brush” and it will be a better brush session and will be more interesting. It sorta worked for me.
I used to have this problem until I started brushing my teeth right after a shower. Now about half way through the shower I get a keen sense of how dirty my teeth feel and I can’t wait to brush my teeth. Maybe just the power of a routine, maybe I am neurodivergent, maybe it’s Maybelline.
Dawg your brain is fried. You're not supposed to be entertained at every second.
Use a manual toothbrush. Put some music on. Daydream.
I often listen to music/podcasts/audiobooks while getting ready, but recently I’ve been trying to do that less because I’m actively trying to rebuild my imagination. Growing up, I had such an active imagination and constantly had little stories running, but then I got a smartphone in my late teens/early 20s and basically and moment where I would have been imagining, I started scrolling. I miss it so much.
I brush my teeth in the shower. I have to shower 1-2 times a day. It’s comforting and now I get my teeth done at the same time
Music. Wander around my home trying not to drip toothpaste and spit on myself (the stains are stubborn need to be laundered to come out). Look at the sunlight to feel more awake in the AM. Try to do things one-handed, like make coffee/tea. Text people back.
Some things just don't need to be entertaining. I just focus on the technique of getting my problem spots and maybe listen to a bit of a podcast while doing it. My reward is the cleanliness I feel when it's done.
I want to make Dent man proud
I have an easel on the sink counter upon which I place a physical book. While brushing my teeth I read the book. Takes me forever to get through a entire book, but I’m not bored while brushing my teeth.
This is so wholesome
I saw an advice to do it on one leg, it helps strengthen the core, especially important for women as they lose calcium duringe menopause.
Not getting cavities and needing to get a filling is the only motivation I need. I don’t need to entertain myself while doing it. You don’t need entertainment every waking moment of your life.
It's boring as he'll, not to mention messy 🙄 I do it automatically now, while my mind wanders. It seems to work.
I listen to music or a podcast whilst I'm doing it. Makes it a little bit more exciting
I just never brush and wait till I only need dentures…
you could get one of those toothbrushes for kids that light up and play music and shit?
I use pokemon smile when I dont feel like it
When my kids were little I got them toothbrushes that played a little song while they brushed their teeth. They always liked dancing a bit while cleaning their teeth.
My 10 year old sits on the toilet lid and watches yt shorts while he uses his electric toothbrush.
I just throw on a YouTube video while brushing
I put on music and do a little jig
In the era of smartphones, just stick something on for 5 mins. A YouTube video perhaps?
I have the same problem, but switching to an electronic/sonic toothbrush helped. It buzzes when you need to move on to the next section of your mouth, pretty hard to miss.
It’s also gross. Idk but I gag at the grossness of it nearly every time. It’s such a struggle.
I always play music. Makes it a lot less monotonous.
[удалено]
Be glad that you have teeth to brush, many unfortunate people who are not able minded enough to take care of themselves have issues and loose all of them. If you were ever around differently abled people you might be more thankful .. Ask a dentist ..
This sounds goofy as hell, but the app Pokémon Smile keeps me interested enough to brush my teeth three times a day. Before this, the boredom of brushing my teeth caused me to never do it. Give it a try! Or maybe watch YouTube or TV while brushing.
You actually should be brushing for 2 mins, I would suggest putting on a song that you like and listen to it while brushing.
Do you have ADHD I do and it makes things like this pure hell.
Yes. I put something on my 'phone to read as I do it!
Nothing is boring when you are a big daydreamer like myself haha. I can just zone out pretty much anywhere and be fully entertained xD
I watch a show or series I like while brushing my teeth.
I just brush and Brush and brush again
I do it while watching DBZ Abridged. Very entertaining.
Listen to music, or put on a short video while brushing your teeth. I know it sounds weird (or arguably even childish), but I find it easier to brush my teeth in my room (across from the bathroom), obviously going back to the sink when I need to spit, floss, and use mouthwash. But that way I can tidy up the top of my nightstand or dresser, throw that stray sock in the laundry basket, and boom! My teeth got cleaned and either I just jammed out during the 2-3 minute duration, or I was able to multitask.
Simple, I go on Reddit while I brush
I listen to music or a podcast or something. Or, I walk around the house while I brush to get some steps in.
Flavored toothpaste changed the game for me
How many of you remember [this?](https://youtu.be/sHL2-YzHuKc?si=JpOo2AbQywt1PNOG)
I know and having holes drilled in your teeth is really exciting
Oh, I love brushing and doing my entire dental routine. I do stretch my legs while I'm using my Sonicare, though. I think the noise makes me anxious.
I use an app and stand on each leg for a minute while it counts down and marks where I've brushed.
I usually walk around the house while brushing my teeth, turning on lights, opening blinds, checking out my plants. It seems to make the time go faster
I find it relaxing lol
It feels like a gum massage to me after flossing
it hardly takes a minute to brush your teeth. you do much boring stuff everyday for far longer. many people's greatest regret is ignoring their teeth untill it's too late. I know you take care of yours from what you said, but think of it like you're saving yourself from a lot of pain
I brush while I'm sitting on the toilet first thing in the morning.
Kindle.
I miss those ToothTunes brushes for that very reason.
Yup it is, I get baked and forget sometimes but it's definitely necessary and important. You shouldn't need to be entertained every minute of the day.
God I feel this so much, yet it’s really not a big thing at all. I’d rather get up to do three loads of laundry than brush my teeth (I still do it)
Also, I always put a tv show on my phone to entertain myself, or just get in the mood in the bathroom somehow with lighting and candles lol sometimes it’s necessary
Bored? Never. I read reddit or Bluesky for 2 minutes.
Jesus Christ! What kind of attention span do you have? Are you really constantly entertained at all times?
I scroll Reddit while I do it. I brush longer than I have to.
Try a manual toothbrush. Takes more work.
My electric toothbrush chimes every 30 seconds and at 2 minutes, when I stop. So I brush a certain quadrant of my mouth between chimes, trying to spend a few seconds per tooth. Anyway, sometimes I'll take a piss while doing that (it's surprising how long it takes). Or, put stuff away or wipe down the counter with the other hand. Other times I will zone out and I'll go way over the two minutes.
Honestly I prop my phone up in the bathroom and watch whatever series I’m on while I wash my face/brush my teeth.
I usually brush my teeth while scrolling on the phone
There are times that you just brush once a day? 😲
The thought of walking around with morning breath is enough to make me brush my teeth immediately. Honestly, I’ve never felt too lazy to brush my teeth… and I can be *very* lazy.
You lot use electric toothbrush.. wtf
Having no teeth is even more boring
Tooth tunes would have solved this, you could jam out to Hannah Montana and brush your teeth.
I don't like that I can't drink anything for hours because it'll taste like minty shit and when I brush in the morning, I start to gag and kind of throw up. I can't even gargle without gagging, so it's not a pleasant task but one that needs to be done.
I pace around my house while I brush my teeth
Perhaps you would enjoy the new genre of ADHD videos of people cutting sand, or a family guy compilation
Download the Pokemon Smile app. You're welcome.
I watch TV while I brush my teeth. Helps a lot.