How long does it take you to brush your teeth? There IS a right answer according to your dentist. Unlike your other routines, (putting on makeup, combing your hair, etc.) you can’t get faster at brushing your teeth. No matter how fancy your toothbrush is, it takes at least two minutes to thoroughly brush your teeth. Even though that doesn’t sound like much time, often we get in a hurry and don’t realize that we’re taking much less time than we should. To help pass the time and hit that magic two-minute mark, try some of these time-passing tips from your dentist while you brush:
• Read something – whether it’s the morning news, a magazine article or your favorite blog (this one I hope!) reading is a great way to distract yourself while brushing. You may even end up brushing for more than two minutes.
• Tackle other tasks – Need to make coffee, pack your lunch or pick out what you’re going to wear? Do this while you’re brushing and you’ll get twice as much done. Just make sure you choose tasks that only require one hand.
• Catch up on your Words with Friends – If you have a game on your phone that only takes one hand, this is a great time to use it as a distraction!
• Jump on YouTube – Cat videos. What else needs to be said?
• Listen to a song – The great thing about listening to a song while you brush is that most are over two minutes. Feel free to skip Cold November Rain.
• Workout – Sit-ups are not advisable while you’re brushing, but things like wall sits, lunges and leg lifts are a great way to tone while you brush.
• Water your plants – Seriously, they need love too.
• Make a list – One of the things that can often distract us is all of the things we need to get done. Grab a pen (or your favorite note app) and write it out.
If you’re a good multi-tasker (or even if you’re a bad one) try distracting yourself with other things that you know need to get done. It will brighten your smile and lighten your load.