Wholeman Advice

Teeth/Nails/Feet

the mouth manicure: care, cleaning and hygiene

The mouth manicure

Brush up on getting fresh

Morning breath, coffee mouth, too many flaming Sambucas. Whatever the reason, halitosis affects us all at some point. It’s most often caused by poor dental hygiene. And the garlic you threw into last night’s triumphant coq au vin. That cursory half-comatose 30-second blast on the electric toothbrush twice a day just isn’t enough to keep your mouth clean.

If when you open your mouth it’s your dentist who says “ah!” then at least you are in the right place: whether it’s fear of the drill or the bill, statistics prove that fewer and fewer of us men are going for our recommended twice-yearly appointments.

At WholeMan, we don’t pretend to be dentists, but we can help you freshen up between check-ups.

Firstly, and most importantly, you need to brush your teeth properly. If the plaque on your back teeth could double as discoloured council house cladding, then you need to invest in an electric toothbrush. It might be a little pricey, but if it saves you some expensive dental repair work, it will more than pay for itself. The top of the range sonic toothbrushes are highly effective de-scalers and they can sort out those hard-to-reach back teeth more easily than you could with a normal toothbrush. The better ones also have a two-minute timer with a pulse every 30 seconds to encourage you not to neglect any part of your teeth. Work from the inside out, keeping the brush head at 45 degrees to your teeth. Change the brush head every two to three months as the bristles are less effective when flattened. Use a fluoride-based toothpaste that helps strengthen the structure of the teeth and fight decay. The whitening toothpastes can also help keep yellowing of your pearly whites at bay.

Try and get into the habit of flossing – at least a couple of times a week. Most decay starts between the teeth where the brush bristles cannot get to. If flossing makes your gums bleed, that is a tell-tale sign of early onset gingivitis (gum disease) caused by poor brushing. Hold the floss taut between thumbs and index fingers and slowly slide it to and fro between your teeth, being careful not to snap it down on your gums.

The tongue is also hugely responsible for bad breath. If the fur on your tongue is enough to attract the interest of Canadian trappers, then you need a tongue scraper. It acts as a kind of dental rake, gently shearing the tongue of evil-smelling bacteria. There are more than a 100 stinky bacteria to every skin cell on the tongue. If your dentist thinks your tongue is a particular problem, a zinc-based gel applied with tongue brush will help keep the bacteria under control. Don’t use your toothbrush as you want to limit the spread of bacteria. (And it should go without saying that you should never ever share your toothbrush with anyone else – not even your partner.)

Finally, gargle and rinse with an antiseptic mouthwash to make sure that all the bacteria and loosened plaque is washed away. The zinc will also help protect your gums.

This might all sound like a lot of hard work, but we’re talking about a maximum of three minutes morning and evening. If it saves you a painful and expensive trip to the dentist and makes your mouth a lot more kissable, it’s well worth it.

Nails

Can you digit?

Turn your nails into clipart with a manicure-pedicure

Research shows that a man’s nails are amongst the first thing that a prospective partner notices. If you can’t take care of your nails, then what hope have you of taking care of anything else? How do you know when to cut your nails? As soon as you can see any ‘white’ overhang at the end of fingertips.

If you want to cut your own nails, these rules work for both hands and feet. First soften the nails and cuticles (the bits of thin skin that grow over the nails) by soaking them in warm water for a few minutes (eg after you’ve had a bath or shower). Then, using a pair of nail clippers – long-handled for extra leverage and thus easier cutting – square the nails off. Then file the corners and the edges with an emery board. You can also push the cuticles back and trim the exess with a cuticle cutter. Use this tool to attend to any ‘hangnails’ – little shreds of skin that come away from the cuticle. Don’t be tempted to rip or bite them off as they will bleed painfully. Finally, soften your calloused, manly hands with a dedicated hand moisturiser. There – you’ve nailed it.

Athlete’s foot

Kick athlete’s foot into touch

Follow these tips to give flaky toe the heave-ho

It’s all too annoying easy to pick up athlete’s foot from the changing room floor – a common and highly contagious breeding ground for a fungal skin infection that affects an estimated 15% of the UK at any one time. Left untreated, it can very quickly escalate into a cascade of itchy parmesan shavings and broken skin, rendering trusty Havaiana flip-flops or Birkenstock sandals completely unwearable.

Back in the day, this condition could spread to the nails and necessitate their removal. The treatment now is less medieval. Several creams, powders and tablets will work in combination with good foot hygiene. Here’s how to go toe to toe with athlete’s foot:

  • wash feet thoroughly with soap and water, drying carefully especially between the toes
  • change shoes daily to decrease moisture
  • wear clean socks every day
  • wear flip-flops in communal changing rooms and around pool areas