Dental Hygiene: Research has demonstrated that there is an evident relationship between oral health and hygiene and infant health. The following are some guidelines for good dental hygiene:
Brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste twice a day for two minutes.
Floss your teeth once a day.
Maintain regular dental cleaning every six months and attend to dental problems as they arise.
Vaginal Hygiene: The vagina is equipped to be self-cleaning, with the use of natural discharge. This discharge can look different depending on where you’re at in your cycle and changes often in pregnancy. Healthy discharge doesn’t have a strong smell or color and shouldn’t cause itchiness or soreness. When the vagina is healthy it's full of good protective bacteria. This good bacteria helps keep out any bad bacteria that might cause issues like infections or inflammation. It also helps the vagina’s pH balance, which is naturally acidic, even.
Washing Your Vagina:
Soaps, perfumes, antiseptics, oils, gels, and douching products are never a good idea for washing the vaginal area. These products can kill the good bacteria and through your pH balance off.
When washing your vagina simply use clean running water once a day. Some people find washing more often during their period is needed.
Perineal Hygiene During Sexual Intercourse:
Using a condom during sex can prevent STIs like chlamydia, gonorrhea, genital herpes, genital warts, syphilis, and HIV.
Some lubes can affect the bacteria and pH balance of the vagina.
Clothing and Vaginal Health:
Try to avoid underwear fabrics like lace, nylon, and spandex. Cotton underwear is the best option for vaginal health as it allows airflow and it absorbs excess moisture. Also, health-wise, no underwear is a valid and healthy option.
Toilet Habits:
When wiping, go from front to back. Never back to front, as this can drag bad bacteria into the vagina.
Tips for Infection Prevention:
Use proper handwashing. Hand washing means using clean running water and soap to scrub your hands for 20 seconds or sing the Happy Birthing song twice. Use proper handwashing after coughing, sneezing, blowing your nose, using the restroom, handling animals, or have been in a public place. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizer when hand washing is not available.
Keep fingernails trimmed and clean.
Take regular showers and practice body and facial hygiene.
When coughing or sneezing direct it into your elbow and face away from people around you.
Considerations during COVID19 pandemic:
Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer frequently.
Wear a mask when in proximity to other people not of your household.
Stay home if you or your family is sick.
Resources:
The V Book, by Elizabeth Stewart (Bantam Books, 2002)
CDC: Hygiene Etiquette & Practices- https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/hygiene/etiquette/index.html
CDC: Handwashing & Nail Hygiene- https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/hygiene/hand/index.html
NHS: Keeping Your Vagina Clean & Healthy- https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/sexual-health/keeping-your-vagina-clean-and-healthy/
NHS: How to Keep Your Teeth Clean- https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-body/how-to-keep-your-teeth-clean/#:~:text=Brush%20your%20teeth%20with%20fluoride,brushing%20stops%20plaque%20building%20up.
Women's Health: Douching- https://www.womenshealth.gov/a-z-topics/douching
References
Boggess, Kim. (2008). Maternal Oral Health in Pregnancy. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 111, 976-986. https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0b013e31816a49d3
Lewis, F.M.T., Bernstein, K.T., Aral, S.O. (2017 April). Vaginal microbiome and its relationship to behavior, sexual health, and sexually transmitted diseases. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 129(4): 643-654.
Prenatal & Postnatal Care 2e. "Conditions Affecting Oral Health" (pp 250-251).