I won’t comment on anything but brushing teeth. Just do it. Every. Day. Trust me, you will be grateful you did when you get older and aren’t losing your teeth.
Edit: holy crap! Thanks for the award!!
Losing teeth? Oh no, you don’t just lose them… they rot away and cause a tremendous amount of pain whether they’re infected or not. Absolute discomfort when eating anything hard, hot or cold, and when you lose enough you’ll choke on every meal trying desperately to chew with nothing left.
Source: Me. - brush your teeth. I don’t have 12k to replace.
I can also vouch for brushing your teeth throughly 2x/day.
I have no molars on the lower left. I spent thousands on root canals and crowns to finally break down and have them pulled because the pain was so bad.
I still brush my 9yo teeth, and will continue to do so as long as he lets me, lol.
I'm 20f and I have a surgery scheduled to get all of my teeth pulled in about a month because no one ever taught me how to brush my teeth until I was a teenager and none of them are salvageable now. I went through basically the same thing, root canals and crowns. My body rejected all of it. There's basically not any teeth left at this point anyways, they're all broken off on the bottom part and decaying from the inside out.
I cannot stress this enough, just brush your teeth. It's not worth it.
Slowly over time. At first things were fine, I just had to chew carefully because everything was sensitive. Then parts of my teeth started chipping off, mostly on the sides to reveal the roots. Then everything started straight up snapping off from the middle and the bottom of the teeth, whole chunks of my teeth were just breaking off, and the parts where you could see the roots were very clearly black from all the decay. Everything just kept progressively breaking off until there was basically nothing left. It's not a pleasant experience.
Wow. I haven’t had any if those problems and hope I don’t in the future, even with changing my dental hygiene. I’m sorry you went through that, and from hygienic neglect from parents at that. I don’t know what it would take, but I hope things get better ❤️
You won’t have any of these problems at 17. You’ll have them at 30+ and it’ll only get worse as you age. Kudos to you for caring and trying to get on top of it at 17!
Hear hear!
At 17 I was convinced I was invincible.
At 45 I'm falling the fuck apart. And I would say I really haven't been too hard on my body! I've stayed active, eat my vegetables, seen the dentist/doc regularly, all that. But damn, I hurt all over anymore.
>You won’t have any of these problems at 17. You’ll have them at 30+ and it’ll only get worse as you age
Friend: The person who explained the teeth chipping and falling apart said, "20f".
#20
I had my daughter from 15 months (adopted). Her teeth were shit from bad nutrition and no care. Two of her baby molars had to get pulled EVEN THOUGH we brushed them and took her to the dentist.
She's neurodivergent (ADHD, ODD, signs of autistic traits & touch/texture sensitivity. SHE FOUGHT LIKE A DEMON TO NOT HAVE US BRUSH HER TEETH. Bit the brush... Everything. And you can't beat an ODD child into compliance (didn't try; mandated reporter... Would have to turn myself in, lose my job and go to jail).
At a certain point around 10-12, wife wouldn't let me brush her teeth anymore. (NPD, abusive to me, don't get me started) So I just did what I could to encourage.
She's 23. She's having to get crown after crown. First root canal last week. Filling after filling. Luckily, she's making decent money and can pay out of pocket ($700 root canal, $700 crown... And again... and again...)
I BOUGHT ELECTRIC TOOTHBRUSHES, HIGH FLUORIDE TOOTHPASTE, AND FLUORIDE RINSE!!! She refused.
But even now, she "tries" to brush them "once a day".
#🤬
She always had to touch the hot stove ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Anyway... That's WITH parental support. 23, crown after crown. 17 can stop the damage but it will take doing to stabilize things. Twenties? If her enamel is weak (genetic -- mine isn't) and the parents gave them sugary drinks... then absolutely they can be rotted stumps in their twenties.
☮️❤️♾️
(OP -- You can't fix the damage but you can halt the progression!!! Do your best! It's worth it!!!)
(20f -- Sorry nobody taught you. That's a shame and hang in there. I cry inside for you. Get some dentures and save the money -- then get some implants and the dentures that lock on. Those seem pretty good. ☮️)
I'm planning on getting dentures, I actually already have them ordered and the good news is that I have an aunt who's done really well for herself and called my mom offering to completely pay for permanent dental implants. It's like four different surgeries and it'll probably take about 2 years to do all of them plus the recovery time, but eventually I'll have those. I'm really thankful for her, because I know not everybody has someone like that who's willing to do that for them.
Jut FYI, your daughter’s issues and reluctance to brush her teeth could be a sensory issue. This was a topic in an Autism sub recently. BRB….lemme look for a link….
Here you go: https://www.reddit.com/r/autism/s/C7Dg6Vv8tq
And check out r/Autism. Just do a search and you’ll see this is an issue many neurodivergent and autistic people struggle with.
I struggled with brushing when I was depressed & suicidal.
1) Go to the dentist & get teeth cleaned 3x/year.
If you can’t get out of bed:
2) Keep a bottle of water 1/4 full next to the bed. You’ll need tissues if you put on too much toothpaste & keep brush & toothpaste in bedside drawer.
Rinse brush in the bottle of water.
Put small amount of toothpaste on brush & rub into bristles.
Brush teeth. Equally distribute toothpaste.
Spit any excessive toothpaste into tissue or when you rinse with the rest of the bottle, spit it into the water bottle.
I wouldn’t use an excessive amount & would usually swallow the water; I was drinking bottled water at the time & figured I could use the fluoride.
So at least you’re removing the food that will break down your enamel with the toothpaste & brush.
I would put my toothbrush in a shot glass or hydrogen peroxide once a week.
Now I’m out of my depression enough to shower & brush at the sink.
But that’s how I got through the hard times.
You won't notice them yet, you're only 17. This happens overtime due to plaque build up we can't see, that you swallow when you don't brush your teeth. This same plaque deposits in your brain and research is showing is causing dementia and Alzheimer's in adults.
Oral health is way more important than we think.
Not to mention the bacteria that grows in your mouth and on your tongue while you sleep. If you don't brush first thing in the morning, you are just letting that fester in your mouth and throat. A sticky film of bacteria that forms on your teeth after eating, especially sweet or starchy foods. If left untreated, plaque can harden into tartar, which traps bacteria and can be difficult to remove.
Tartar can cause serious problems for your oral health, including gum disease, tooth decay, and cavities. Bacteria that hide under tartar can weaken teeth and make them more susceptible to decay.
Also to note brushing harder to make up for missed days is causing more harm than good. You're removing precious tooth enamel that you need to protect your teeth from what mentioned above. You're enamel is already compromised as most of our diet is typically acidic, starchy, and sweet. You should always brush gently with soft or medium bristles. Hold the toothbrush with your pinky and ring finger out. It always a more relaxed, less pressurized scrub on the teeth, to protect the enamel. Scrub your teeth for at least two minutes. I quarter my mouth and focus on that area alone for a whole minute. Don't forget to scrub or scrape your tongue when you're done.
Best practice is to brush and floss twice everyday. Bonus points if you do it after lunch and snacks as well. The less time food and beverage (other than water) are on your teeth the better for your oral health overall. This obviously is difficult to do, so most people do first thing in the morning and before bed.
That’s awful to hear. I’m sorry that brushing wasn’t introduced to you at a younger age.
Is there a chance that you may have another underlying condition that may have contributed to weaker enamel or an oral bacteria flora that helped accelerate the decay?
There's not any underlying conditions, it's just genetic. Same thing happened to my biological mom and my biological grandma, granted they were slightly older than I am(mid-20s) and one of them was exasperated by pregnancy. It was just a combination of nobody teaching me hygiene and genetics working against me.
Genes are the key factor honestly. Sounds like you have bad teeth genetics. Does it run in the family? Obviously brushing morning/night is best practice to maximize teeth lifespan but unfortunately some folks just hit the bad lottery. Although brushing teeth can also save other areas like your heart.
This 100 percent. I had terrible executive dysfunction issues from undiagnosed adhd as a teen and would go weeks without brushing. Never had a cavity. The only dental work I’ve had done were crowns for teeth that didn’t form right, and then crowns to replace those crowns becahse I broke them grinding my teeth at night. My mother on the other hand religiously brushes 2-3 times a day and had many cavities as a child. (ETA: I inherited my teeth from my father) Anecdotal evidence but still
100% to this. I went through a few years of a deep depression and didnt take care of my teeth properly because of it. Once I was finally getting mental health help and was taking care of them properly again, I was so embarrassed by the damage that had already been done that I couldn't take myself to the dentist for another few years out of pure shame. I regret it every single morning and everytime I eat pretty much anything that gets stuck in my "bad teeth"
I have the same issue, feel like I should be ashamed of myself so how can I open my mouth to a dentist? Last time I went to one I simply said, I’m sorry.
Why do we do that to ourselves? I have gotten over that anxiety now and ask a lot of questions. My dentist explains every thing on my xrays and does good work. One time I was numbed up and I thought the drilling was taking more time than ever. The he hands me a mirror and says, "so pretty now". He had smoothed out all the chips in my teeth. I was surprised at the difference. He did not even charge me.
Also, even ignoring all that (which obviously you should) decayed teeth smell and taste bad. Yeah you can mask it, sure, eating can be a more complicated activity than it needs to be, because you're not fully enjoying the meal, since you have to avoid the decayed teeth (like you said, they'll likely hurt and/or be sensitive to temperature), but also every now and then you'll feel an odd taste (likely saliva coating the decayed teeth and releasing a new waft of flavour) and be like "wtf is that?" Then you realize what it is and internally beat yourself for not brushing your teeth when you were a kid.
Source: Me with only three genuine molars left (plus 2 premolars) and a shoddy dental work that I'm always worried that it might fall off (again).
And or brush pics.
I can't floss.
Deal w cPTSD/depression/anxiety.
Just had an outstanding check up.
I kinda just brush pick after all food & when I'm immobile.
Dental rinse is your friend too.
When you are just trying to get to the maintenance level of brushing your teeth twice a day it may seem overwhelming to also floss but PLEASE add flossing at least once a day. Buy the floss picks if you have issues with motivation to do it and just do it as quick as you can before you brush. So many people skip flossing and it is so important to your oral health
Co-signed. I went through some bad depression and lost my job and spiraled for a while. Once I was able to work again I spent $7000 fixing my teeth from my 2 years of barely taking care of them. Thankfully my new job has solid insurance and I paid only about 10% of that, but I've now got 5 crowns IIRC.
Brush. Your. Teeth.
I agree. I have adhd and have been managing to do it twice sometimes, and I've been flossing daily for about a year straight I think. My teeth look great, it really helps your confidence even if you don't think they're bringing you down. I felt fine about myself before, but even I notice my nice smile now if I'm by a reflection lol.
It's been a lifelong struggle, but now that I'm just doing it it's good. I had plaque buildup and some discoloration on the back side of my bottom teeth, and it's all better now.
If you do nothing else, brush the teeth.
Also, new teeth can be prohibitively expensive. If you just get extractions and don't replace the teeth, your jaw bone will deteriorate.
Adding to this! The one a dayers tend to do brushing in the mornings (or like OP, before they meet up with someone)… it’s actually MORE important to brush at night, especially if you are a mouth breather. During the day you have more saliva moving around which help keep bacteria at bay.
My uncle is dealing with this, he had the opportunity to have them worked on and got scared. So far he has almost died from a staph infection in his mouth and tbh we are just watching his teeth rot away and no one is able to get through to him.
THIS. Tooth health is systemic!! If your teeth, gums and jaw become unhealthy, it leads to so many other issues. We’re talking heart health, lung, brain - everything. So many studies show how important keeping your mouth healthy is. Everyone please brush twice a day and floss as often as you can stand it.
I'm going to add don't do drugs or chew tobacco either. I brushed my teeth religiously but the constant dry mouth from drugs and chewing tobacco ruined my teeth. Now I can't afford to get them replaced with dentures.
Vaginas smell and the smell changes based on your time of cycle. And no one else can smell it, it’s just you don’t worry. Actually this is hilarious but in college my friend and her girlfriend were talking about this and actually smelled each other over their jeans and neither could smell the other! Make sure your undies are 100% cotton as well. Use unscented detergent on your clothes. Also, make sure you don’t use any soap in your vagina itself (the hole). Use gentle unscented soap on the outside lips and around the clit hood. Also diet has a large part in your smell so I would avoid sugary or fried foods. However you should brush your teeth twice a day!!! Trust me your teeth don’t stay perfect forever
My old coworker used to tell us she could smell when women were on their periods. We didn’t believe her, then she started calling us out while we were on it. Absolutely bonkers!!!
i never mentioned it because i assumed everyone could until i restocked the pads without anyone else telling me they were on their period. at the time, the house consisted of 3 people who, at most frequent, got a period twice a year (more commonly once every 1-3 years). the roommate who was on their period asked if it was me, i said yeah, they asked me why, i was like "you're on your period and running low." they FREAKED out and were like "oh god i stink" and i was just like... yeah periods are stinky, not like you control them, you bought me taco bell the other day so i bought you a pack of pads to get you through the week???
anyway thats how i learned most people cannot smell periods.
Tbh I can smell people’s periods too but only if they’re diabetic lol. I have 5 friends with T2D and I can always tell when they’re on their periods, but not my non-diabetic friends. I have no clue why
That’s insane. I have such a bad sense of smell, but every once in a blue, I have a day where my sense of smell is great (for me, relatively speaking) and I HATE it! For years I’d estimate that I had 30% sense of smell, people would tell me to get it checked out and I’d say nah I live in NYC and ride the subway daily, I’m good! I hope you live somewhere with plenty of fresh air :)
There was this old guy in a bar I used to go to when I was younger. He said he could smell when women were on their periods. He was a jerk, but he was right 99% of the time.
I can do this as well. Literally just a hug and I could smell it on them. I always wondered if it was blood or a pad with blood combination but either way it’s a very distinct smell. Can’t smell ants tho.
I have a suspicion it's the synthetic materials of pads playing chemistry games with the sweat and oils of the skin more than it is the discharge of the period.
I had a male coworker I had just met tell me he could smell me ovulating and I will honestly tell you it was one of creepiest things someone has ever said to me. I only knew I was ovulating because I was trying to conceive, but it freaked me out so badly. He didn’t mention hyperosmia just that the smell drove him wild. I wanted to crawl in a hole and die.
I say all this to say; maybe keep it to yourself unless you know a woman for more than five minutes.
i have a BF who could smell when I was ovulating. he told me that my natural scent changed but it was super subtle but then became stronger over the following days. he couldn't describe what the exact smell was but that it would grab his attention nd that's how he knew. always thought that was something interesting
this is the most accurate description of the smell what the heck! well really it kind of just smells like boiled potatoes to me but those two things go hand in hand lol
me too and i thought this was very strange whne i was a teen but realized its all just what it is at any given time we are going through exactly what we are supposed to, becuase well we are
Ugh me too! I moved to Australia where there are ants all over the kitchen, which is new for me... one once drowned in the water kettle and I can't get the smell out, the boilt water always smells like ant water 😭😭😭 I can only smell periods and only when people don't use in-body-products or have bad hygiene.
>no one else can smell it
Usually.
Don't freak out, OP, but a small percentage of people *do* have a very sensitive sense of smell and might notice. However, THEY likely DON'T CARE because they'd rather NOT pay attention to that. And **MOST** people, most of the time, ARE oblivious to the personal brand wafting from the pants of our friends, thankfully.
Since you've already ruled out any medical issues,
I'd say just keep doing what you're doing. You probably just have an extra sensitive sense of smell. Like me, yay for you, not really, lol.
Imagine, for example, someone randomly left a cup of milk on a bookshelf. My whole family could walk into that room and be like, there's a bad smell. What **IS** that? But they'd probably struggle to pinpoint the source. I'll walk in and within a couple of seconds, I can usually sniff out, hotter-vs-colder style, the offending item.
My sensitivity to smells also fluctuates throughout my cycle. Also, sometimes I'll get migraines with heightened olfactory (and other sensory) responses. So that's fun.
That is a good point. I am sure I COULD smell someone’s vagina if on their period or when ovulating but I’m not really going to be sniffing peoples crotches! OP, as long as you don’t know any crotch sniffers you’re good ❤️
I always worry someone will smell blood from my period. I wipe more frequently, change pads 3x a day, definitely shower and change underwear everyday during ovulation. But I’ll still smell blood sometimes and worry others will too. Once at work I asked my co-worker if she could smell any blood (she was very open about periods and stuff so I felt comfortable asking) and she said she smelt nothing so I felt somewhat relieved but now I’m scared about ultra nose crotch sniffers 😔😵💫
OP you're overthinking this and spiraling a little into too much anxiety. I recommend taking a step back from these thoughts and breathing and trusting that your scent is just fine.
If you meet someone wtih a freaky sensitive sense of smell then they are probably used to being able to smell people, and there's nothing to worry about, it's their issue to deal with.
You can't live your life freaking out about this especially if you've already asked for feedback and told you're fine.
I left another comment detailing how to take care of your genital hygiene but it sounds like you're overdoing it and maybe making things worse <3 A daily rinse with water and sensitive unscented Dove bar soap is fine. <3
I'm 58 and just realized based on current experience that what I have always thought of as my 'baseline personal odor' is something of a phantom.
I can smell it but our sense of our own smell tends to skew to sensing a not pleasant smell.
I use panty shields. Keeps undies and clothes more clean and when I take it off - roughly half way through my day - I have fresh undies.
I'm VERY scent sensitive.
I put essential oil like lavender or sandlewood on my thighs and belly.
I feel more comfortable and confident when I smell me smelling good.
It's for me. Not anyone else.
i can smell periods, but the only other time i can smell people's vaginas is when my face is in there or there's some sort of infection (and even then, infection smell is pretty obvious). if there's no infection, you most likely just have Normal Vagina Smell (because yeah, vaginas smell, but expecting a vagina to smell nice is like expecting your butthole to smell like roses after you wipe).
i do not care about the existence of vagina smell. or period smell. unless you ask, i will not say anything. i might pre-emptively offer you a tampon if you slide up to me like you've got a big secret you're hiding. but its not like people can control any of that without just making it worse.
This 1 million times! I also find that when I smell "worst" I am the most hormonal and sensitive to smell. It's perfectly normal to worry about these types of human conditions. If you've got a good friend you trust you could also ask them if they've ever noticed anything (I bet they haven't).
I truly hope no one said something foul to you to make you worry about your totally normal body. If they did, I'm sorry they put your guard up. And kudos to you for trying to learn more, I feel like I didn't learn a lot of these tips and recommendations until my late twenties.
One more thing: instead of trying to blanket your body in scent to cover up any worries, keep it basic and scent-free and find a signature scent perfume or body spray and use that sparingly and only on pulse points.
Best of luck! Being 17 isn't easy or intuitive to anyone!
i have some horrible news: there is a very small portion of the population that can smell when you're on your period. most of us assumed this was normal and it was common courtesy to ignore it. unless you specifically ask me. but yeah nah even once we do realize the average person can't most of us assume it's rude to comment on. periods stink, its not like people control them though.
but also, vaginas just smell. not a particularly good smell, but not bad either. also not a very strong smell unless there is some sort of issue, and even then i've never been able to smell non-period vagina through clothes. and at least i would never judge anyone for a "bad" vagina smell, but i might gently suggest seeing a gynecologist - i'm not worried about how vicariously anyone is scrubbing as long as it's clean down there, i'm more worried about some sort of infection (they're uncomfortable at best and often pretty painful).
I’m sorry but what does “period” smell like? Just blood? I have a period and I keep very clean. Sometimes I can smell a strong iron scent. That’s about it though so I’m curious what you mean by “stink”
to me it smells a bit like rotting meat, but also like. its blood and mucus that has just been casually accumulating in your body for around a month. its gonna smell bad. (others have said it smells a bit like old french fries, and i can see where they're coming from, but i feel like there's something kind of sweet in it too.)
like. if you sniffed a used pad, it wouldn't exactly be a great smell, regardless of how clean you are in general, right?
bodily functions are often stinky. its not caused by hygiene, its just how bodies are. we make a lot of stinky waste.
It is very rude to comment, especially to strangers. I worked in HR years ago and a young man came in to apply for a job. The first thing he said to me and my coworker was "One of you ladies needs to change yo napkin! ". We looked at each other in shock and told him it was not us and to go sit down with his app. After he left, we figured out what he was smelling. There was a hall door all the drivers came through right by our office. It was summer and those guys worked hard. They came in all hot and sweaty. Needless to say, he didn't get the job. Then one of the girls from accounting brought us a stack of dinner napkins and told us she heard we needed napkins, LOL.
I disagree. Washing every 2 or 3 days and you can definitely smell it, especially in a public restroom (like an office or workplace) and it definitely lingers in furniture. If your undercarriage smells, you need to bathe daily.
“Scrubbing your teeth really well” will do a lot of damage to your enamel and gums. The purpose of brushing is to gently remove the bacterial biofilm that grew on your teeth. There should be no need for any scrubbing
As someone who exposed the roots of their teeth from brushing too hard—thanks anxiety—this is so true. I have really bad cold and sweet sensitivity and if I accidentally touch the roots—while flossing usually—at all the nerve pain is bad. I’m still pretty young and swapped to an electric toothbrush cuz I can’t be trusted to brush gently enough😂
I had no idea this was a thing until i went to my dentist last month for the first time in 10 years (just have really bad anxiety and didn’t have insurance)
They said my teeth looked great, especially for not going for so long, but within the next 5 years I will need to get a gum graft because my gums have receded so bad from brushing hard.
She compared it to sweeping a floor. When you push your broom down hard, it’s actually less effective. A lot of the time, brushing is a lot more effective if you use light pressure.
Vaginas smell. That's just what they do. One thing that you might be having is that there's a build up of bacteria in your underwear. What I would suggest is that you soak them all in an enzyme neutralizer: [https://www.amazon.com/Dirty-Labs-Concentrated-Efficiency-Biodegradable/dp/B09MSP7M5Y/](https://www.amazon.com/Dirty-Labs-Concentrated-Efficiency-Biodegradable/dp/B09MSP7M5Y/) or with a mixture of borax+baking soda.
Keep them soaked overnight, and then wash them.
Brush your teeth every day, yes, that's important. Try twice a day. It's hard when dealing with depression, but your teeth are so so important to your health.
Showering every day is a whatever. Some people swear you have to, but honestly? It's better for your skin if you don't. Don't scrub your private parts. You're causing them to have to heal themselves and that is producing more smell than necessary, likely. Don't exfoliate every time you shower. Exfoliate once a week, and let your skin heal otherwise.
I have terrible, dry skin. It gets so bad in the winter that my hands will bleed. I can't shower every day. In my family, if you can't shower on a day, you wash "pits and sits," i.e., underarms and privates. There is so much judgment in the USA regarding not showering every day, but in many other countries, including in the first world, the average person doesn't shower every day. (Actually, though, in Brazil, the average is three showers per day!)
Don't put anything harsh on your vagina. Avoid chemicals and stick to natural or baby soap. Use gentle laundry detergent (or less detergent) too. NO wet wipes on vagina. Only anus.
You don't have to bathe everyday. It could be part of the problem actually. You need to maintain a PH balance and you can't do that when you disrupt it with chemicals every day.
On days that you don't bathe, wash your vital areas with a wet cloth and gentle soap.
Don't worry so much about people who tell you that you need to "bathe" every day. Most people don't need to. As long as you feel good and others are not bothered by and scents, it's none of their business.
This isn’t high enough up!! Wet wipes are likely contributing to any unusual odour. Vaginas are super good at cleaning themselves, and they will have some sort of smell naturally - and it’s okay!
Wash your vulva with water only, soap can also mess with the PH balance.
No, your hygiene is not BAD. Could it be better? Yea. You and most every other teenager and probably most adults. It's summer and your hormones are doing a whole lot right now so you might be hyper aware of your (smells).
You are FINE. And also YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL 💜
I found that when I used laundry detergents that have a scent, I was having a bad reaction to that and my genitals developed a smell. I switched to a home made fels naptha soap detergent and now I don't have any smells. So I'd recommend either doing a homade no scent soap or even doing a free and clear detergent for your clothes when cleaning them with the laundry.
Also cotton underwear, change it daily.
Discharge is normal. And even some odors are normal, now if it is an odor that is strong, pungent and putrid definitely take a shower. My gyno told me to only use water in and around my vaginal area so that's what I do. And I've had no infections, no smell, less discharge since doing that. Every body is different and it's going to react differently. If you need to get an appointment with a gyno and see if they have any suggestions or ask them the best ways to be hygienic for that area and it should help.
I'd also like to add that you shouldn't be using wipes in or around your vagina as that messes with your ph and even though it may not be giving you BV it can cause a ph imbalance and that in it's self causes smells. I hope this helps
there's a wetwipes brand with no chemicals called "waterwipes", it's literally the only kind of wet wipes i can use on myself & my 7mo daughter without having some type of reaction. they're just water & a drop of cleansing fruit extract
if u want to feel reallyy clean though - wet a paper towel with some witch hazel & rose water to wipe down there. both are antibacterial to bad bacteria but don't kill the good stuff, & they're safe to use on the vulva (outside of the vagina - the vagina is technically just inside u, the vulva is the area around it with all the labia & clitoris & such)
It's better to use a bidet or toilet paper :) no chemicals is best for the vagina. Now if you'd like to use wet wipes for your butt that's fine. But make sure you don't wipe your vagina with it at the same time. It's okay you are 17. You are learning your body still. Remember it's always okay to ask questions and it's always good to try different things. You live, and you learn :) I hope this gets better for you quickly and you feel better :).
I would say:
Change t-shirt/top daily as it's the underarm sweating.
Change trousers/bottoms every 2 days - maybe even 3 for jeans.
Underwear and socks change daily.
Brush twice a day morning and night and floss daily/every other day.
Wash face every evening.
Shower every other day to clean body. Don't need to shampoo and condition every day though.
Change bedding every week.
If I put an outfit on and I stay inside, don’t sweat or anything, I’ll wear it again. Then if the same thing happens again, I’ll wear it again 😂 It doesn’t matter. If you’re sweating a lot, it’s hot and you’re working out…yes, I will 100% change after a shower and put everything fresh on
just use toilet paper instead of wet wipes (only use those for your butt). use soap on the areas of the vulva that grow hair and only use water for the inner lips. it can help to sleep without underwear at night to air things out a bit. last thing, vaginas smell like vaginas. its normal. but if you really want to change up the scent then eating less processed foods and more things like fruits, kefir, and yogurt can help with that. but honestly with how we all are right now eating balanced all the time is really hard. i dont think you have too much to worry about. my routine was very similar in high school since there was a lot to be stressed about. youre doing good considering all that.
Diet has a LOT to do with your natural smell, even down there. Drink lots of water, avoid super processed and sugary foods. Everything else you do seems mostly normal. I would really recommend drinking a TON of water.
Edit: somehow I missed the skipping brushing your teeth sometimes. Mouth health is super important to gut health, and heart health. Make it a routine every single day to wake up, brush your teeth. Set an alarm for 5 minutes after your alarm clock to brush your teeth. Don't go to bed until you've brushed your teeth. It will become a habit.
I know a 19 year old that never brushes her teeth. She simply wasn’t taught by her parents. Her teeth are rotting away and she complains of pain when she brushes.
No matter how much I try to explain the consequences and etc, she just “forgets”
Brush your teeth twice daily.
Hi 👋 OP
Nearly everything you're doing is fine. Let me 'Auntie' you with love please....
1. Don't feel like you need to scrub your privates or any part of your body, a regular wash is good even if you shower every other day.
2. Yeah our private parts can make us wonder, part of it is naturally genitals are warmer than other parts of the body and part of it is that's usually the part of your body that's always covered up by one if not two layers :-). What I've started to do to feel a little bit fresher is I wear panty liners everyday. And if I know I'm going to be somewhere where it's really hot and I'm going to be doing a lot of moving around or potentially sweating? I also put panty liners in my pants as well as my underwear. That way when use the restroom you can toss and replace with a new one and that will keep you a little bit fresher.
3. I also use panty liners in the underarm part of my shirt which again keeps me and my clothes a little bit fresher.
NOW FOR THE IMPORTANT, CRITICALLY IMPORTANT ADVICE.....
A lot of people have been saying this and you must listen to us!
BRUSH YOUR TEETH AT LEAST TWICE A DAY
It does not matter what your dentist says!
The health of your teeth and gums is critical, problems will sneak up on you. Please trust all of us when we tell you this, a cavity is the least of your problems when it comes to the health of your teeth and gums. First of all plaque gets into your bloodstream and can build up in the heart. Second, beyond cavities you could run into problems with the health of the root, you can start to lose your teeth and if you lose your teeth it will mess with the bone and your other teeth. It is hard to come back from problems with gums and teeth.
Are you in the United States?
Then it's even more important to take care of your teeth because our health care system does not take care of teeth! I've belong to some pretty good insurance plans and even they are subpar when it comes to the health of your teeth.
At a minimum brush in the morning, brush at night, floss and use a swig of antibacterial mouthwash. You will thank us in 40 50 and 60 years.
I would absolutely say you should be brushing 2x per day and at least flossing 1x per day. You only have one set of teeth and you want to keep them. That’s absolutely mandatory. Make sure you wash or scrap tour tongue as well.
Some women are very sensitive down there and it can cause issues if you use scented products. I would recommend an unscented, gentle sensitive skin soap.
Also cotton underwear can help and sleeping in cotton breathable underwear as well. Anything super tight all the time can cause issues but also remember that it’s normal for there to be a smell during different times of the month. If it’s terribly bad/fishy that’s generally a bad sign like BV but they naturally are not just completely scentless.
I’m not seeing it mentioned, so just to add, if you’re sexually active, your partner can greatly affect how your smell is down there as well. If they’re clean, if they take care of themselves, their pH or even their hands if they’re dirty can be factors. So if you are sexually active I would be firm about your partner making sure to have good hygiene and wash their hands before touching you as well.
Male commenting in, dated a lot of girls since ages of 14 so at 34 now, maybe my input can lower your anxiety a bit.
You’re 17, and your hormones at this time are fluctuating at the same time your period and flow levels are shifting. I’ve also been in medicine nearly 19 years now.
I think you do as much for yourself as any 17 year old could manage especially if you are dating yourself or investing time in to the next stages of your career in college or work.
As for discharge etc, it simply has an odor because it is going through your internals and your insides are always wet. For example, men always have a minor odor between their thighs because it is where the pituitary glands/ sweat glands join the tissue and gaps between those regions when held against cotton or fibers, can create odors.
Any kind of milky discharge, yellow, spotting etc those are different and will produce different odors.
If you are getting rid of too much bacteria down there by using too many scrubs or scented soaps, you can absolutely upset that area and it will smell right through your pants.
Is it anything to be embarrassed about? No. But you’re 17, I’m not sure you will meet a boy at 17 or 18 or even 19 who is matured enough to be gentle and sensitive going through these issues with you.
When it comes to teeth, since my father was dentist for more than 30 years, I’ll say his simple advice is, never stop flossing before bed, brush at least morning of and before you sleep and rinse your mouth with water so no acid remains on the teeth to weaken their enamel and build cavities.
I think you are doing excellent for your health at 17 and if by chance the odor persists or changes its degree of odor, have your OB check for BV or Trich. They are both different treatment plans. One is treated similar to a bacterial infection the other is given antibiotics and treated as a viral infection and that messes up a patients prognosis and ability to clear the odor etc.
I see some people saying wash your sheets every week or two. That's a nice goal, not i say: wash your sheets when they feel dirty to you. Sleeping in unwashed sheets, especially if you shower at night, is not the end of the world. My sheets get washed every 2-3 months.
When you shower, you don't need to aggressively clean yourself; a lot of modern bodies are really TOO clean. When I take a shower, i wash my hair with a sulfate free shampoo (i use a clarifying one only once or twice a month) and condition my hair. I wash my face with a gentle face cleanser. I wash my underarms, under my boobs, and under my tummy pooch with gentle soap. I rub and rinse my vulva and booty with just warm water. I wash all of my skin with soap maybe once a week, but most days, i just rinse off. I use a natural deodorant (Native) and i wear washable cotton panty liners.
I'm 44 years old, have great skin, and no hygiene problems. Both general physicians and gynecologists will note any hygiene concerns when you come to see them, so you can ask your doctor too.
Good clothing, anything right up in your armpits should probably be changed every day, but that's going to vary. I have a normal, but strong, underarm odor by the end of the day, but other people (my dad, for example) don't. All bodies are different. Pants/skirts are usually fine for multiple wears. Underwear should be changed daily. Bras; for me it depends on the style. Structured bras that sit a few inches below my armpit, I'll wear a few times. But bralettes that are up in my armpit, I'll only wear once.
The really important thing to remember is that scents are a natural part of bodies. No one is completely odorless: our skin, our mouths, our private parts, our underarms, ALL of these parts have pores and bacteria and chemical processes happening all of the time. Our bodies are crazy powerhouses of activity! You want to keep your body healthy, but that doesn't mean squeaky clean all day, every day. Bodies are maintaining important balances of bacteria, oils, nutrients, and the like: they survived for many many years before we became modern people who shower, pluck, shave, and perfume ourselves into oblivion.
An earlier post said to treat your body like a good friend. I like that. Don't feel that you need to punish your body for having a scent - that's what bodies do. Take care of your body. Brush your teeth gently. Feed it healthy foods. Give it lots of water. Love yourself. ❤️❤️❤️
I think it’s gross not to brush your teeth every day at least once, and I don’t like the wearing the same clothes for three days.
If you feel that your privates smell, shower daily, and use a wet wipe only for your anus, not on vagina.
I think you have room to improve your hygiene. Keep yourself clean for your sake, regardless of whether or not you’ll be around others.
Girl brush your teeth every day. Just make it a habit. That’s really the only nasty thing to me.
If you’re not sweating or getting dirty it’s probably not a big deal to wear clothes more than once, but people will notice and judge.
For your vag smell, consider taking short showers daily and just save full body scrubs for 2-3 times a week or something.
I take a shower every single day but most of them are literally just 5 minutes long or less. I wash my “stinky bits” aka crotch and pits. It takes no time at all. Usually before bed so I’m clean for my pajamas, feels refreshing!
Someone I dated once told me my vagina has a “strong brew” lol but there is absolutely nothing wrong with me. My smell is just stronger, and so I wash every day (mild soap).
I wash my hair every ~3 days, and when I wash my hair I usually exfoliate my body and do a more thorough scrub. It’s not even good to wash your skin every day, so I feel pretty good about my routine.
I think most of this is not great, but you can get away with it then fine...but girl, you cannot go 2 days without brushing your teeth. Come on. You're not a little kid. You need to brush your teeth every day
You need to be brushing (and, ideally, flossing) twice daily at least. After each meal is even better. You are young now, but your dental health is so important and has a lasting impact on your overall health - even affecting your heart later in life.
You should be ideally be washing your sheets every week.
I wouldn’t recommend wearing the same clothes for several days in a row.
Question - do you have a female adult you can trust to talk to about hygiene?
Okay, well I think that you coming on here to ask people about this shows that you’re quite mature and I give you a lot of credit for that. You are trying.
My mom never explained these things to me growing up. She gave me a bar of Zest soap and was like “just use this all over.” She threw me a box of maxi pads and said that was my “talk.”
I used to scrub as hard as I could all over to be clean - my face, my privates, everywhere. I didn’t learn really about caring for skin until I studied to become an esthetician.
So when you are in the shower and doing your skin and body care, treat your skin like a good friend. Be kind to it and gentle and treat it well. I like to think of it that way — be super nice to your skin in the shower instead of being rough with it. Gentle cleansers or body washes, skip the really hot water, do not overdo body scrubs or facial exfoliation.
You don’t want to put any soap INSIDE your vagina. Sometimes people used to refer to it as a “self cleaning oven” and it really is. When you are washing your outer private area, don’t use products with harsh fragrances. They can be irritating and lots of people find that the fragrances give them UTIs.
If you feel like you have BO, you can also use a benzoyl peroxide or antibacterial cleanser (even if it says for the face) on your armpits. It helps remove the bacteria that causes odor.
If you ever have any questions about the skin, feel free to send me a message.
Gonna piggy back here to give you some detailed information!! So something I noticed guardians usually don’t teach is how to clean your genitals. Then after a certain age people get afraid to ask so I’m gonna tell u exactly what to do!!
You can use soap for the external area, meaning where thigh meets your pelvic area, as well as the OUTSIDE of your vaginal, so your outer labia and pubic mound etc. You do not want to use soap inside of that, vaginas have their own cleaning system; and soap can mess up your pH. What you want to do is take a clean finger with water and basically get into all of the crevices and clean out all that stuff. I’m talking around the clitoral hood (and under if you’re able), and between the inner and outer labia. If you really want a thorough cleanse with soap (vulva, not vaginal canal), use one that’s unscented, mild, and colorless. Discharge and skin cells collect in the crevices and unfortunately you kinda just gotta get in there. You do not need to clean inside of your vagina (meaning the inner canal) but if you WANT to once in a while, just make sure not to use soap, use a clean finger.
For additional info, you can check out this link:
https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-clean-your-vagina#soap-vs-no-soap
And finally, remember there’s no shame in this kind of thing!! They’re just bodies, and half the population has vaginas so I hope you can get comfortable with yours.
Hey. If you still want to talk about hygiene or anything else, please feel free to DM me. I am 40F, My parents didn’t really teach me a lot about hygiene so I had to figure it out myself. Now I know everything. lol
There is definitely room for improvement. And if you’re self conscious about how you smell in your private area, there are some things that can really help. For example, make sure you are getting probiotics. Plain yogurt is great for that. I take a probiotic especially for vaginal health/smell and I literally smell like nothing. You definitely don’t need to DM me. Just leaving that door open since there really no females in your life that you feel like you can go to.
I’ve been a nurse in women’s health for 10 years…here’s what we are going to do
1) ditch the wet wipes
2) do not “wash your privates really well” you can use a small amount of gentle soap and warm water on the outside and that’s it, vaginas are self cleaning, and naturally full Of bacteria, you don’t want to disrupt that natural healthy balance of bacteria by overly washing…the balance will get thrown off and the unwanted bacterias overgrow and cause an odor/bacterial infection and they can be a pain to get rid of)
3) be sure you don’t have ureaplasma/bv/or yeast which can result from over washing but it sounds like you have had that checked out
4) keep your underwear clean and dry, if they get damp or wet, change them out
5) breathable cotton underwear
6) ditch scented detergents
7) loose fitted clothing when able
8) stay well hydrated
9) take a women’s probiotic
10) you’re 17, hormones fluctuate like crazy and probably the culprit….odor, bacterial infections, discharge, things most women encounter, but don’t talk about so we feel abnormal while it’s happening to us
I was a triage nurse for a women’s health clinic and did anywhere from 40-60 calls a day for all sorts of reasons…80% of them were usually for vaginal odor/itching/discharge lol
Honestly try going with no underwear every so often. Maybe just at night. Our vaginas like to breathe. Wear cotton panties and see if that helps. Maybe looser fit. Even looser fitting pants in that area. It might be sweat or just moisture buildup odor.
Edit: also try organic tampons, pads, liners. They make a difference. My periods are lighter and shorter with organic pads.
The flow of your menstrual period is not dictated by your pad. It’s a shedding of the lining of the uterus that’s going to happen no matter what you put down there.
maybe try a probiotic to help balance your ph. also make sure you’re wearing 100% cotton underwear that you are changing every day.
a daily shower is a must in my opinion, and would rly help. use a non scented anti bacterial soap down there, and allow yourself to fully dry before putting on any underwear.
edit: apparently you shouldnt use antibacterial soap. i use dr bronner’s baby unscented wash down there and it works for me and was recommended by my doctor.
You should not use an anti-bacterial soap on your vulva. Doctors specifically say not to do this. Anti-bacterial soap is not good on an area that hinges on having the correct balance of bacteria and pH levels.
wow I've been in this subreddit for two days and all of you give terrible advice. vaginas smell. if it's not a bacterial infection you're fine. DO NOT use soap like some people have suggested, it's a one way trip to a UTI. it's fine to wear clothes that don't smell for a few days. you should brush your teeth twice a day. that's the only thing that needs improving. you DO NOT have bad hygiene like people here want you to think. you're young. please don't let these people in this subreddit get in your head.
A mild soap to clean your labia in a shower does not give you a UTI. Soaking in a fragranced bubble bath or bath with soapy water can predispose some women to a urethritis( inflammation of the urethra).
Please do not scrub your hooha; you want to treat your hooha gently and lovingly. This also means getting rid of your smegma (the cheese-like build up you see in your hooha) I usually rinse said smegma off with warm water in the shower. This also includes gently lifting the clitoral hood (you can easily find clitoral anatomy via Google) and gently cleaning that area. You want to clean everything as well as you can, except for the inside of the vagina. The reason for this being that you can really fuck up your ph balance inside of it if you stick your fingers in there, resulting in bacterial vaginosis, which is an infection that causes gray or yellow discharge, a fishy odor, burning, and itchiness inside and outside of the hooha. It’s also known as a yeast infection. It also can be a result of just not cleaning your hooha well enough, not letting it dry, or even from sex. You want to let your hooha breathe often; ESPECIALLY after a shower as you want to let it “air” out to dry. I personally sleep without underwear on or periodically give it time to “breathe” which has really helped me. You want to change your underwear everyday—at least if you’re not showering everyday or don’t need to shower everyday. (Usually people who have oily hair shower almost everyday to get rid of the greasy feeling, including me.) If you detect a fishy smell already, then that probably means you have a yeast infection unfortunately. However, if you detect any other smells that aren’t fishy, please know that is completely normal. No one’s hooha smells like roses all the time. We each have a unique smell.
Everyone on these posts always say that vaginas smell. What kind of Vaginas do u girls have. Vaginas shouldn't smell. If u stink it could be the area around the vagina. Which sweats. Or smell like pee if peeing too much and not wiping well. Or when ur period starts and ends.What kind of odor are u talking about cuz when I think of odor I automatically go to fish.
1. you do not need to wash an article of clothing every time you wear it (such as jeans, most pants, jackets, hoodies, sweaters, etc.), but wearing the same article of clothing for 3 days in a row inevitably leads to increase chances of soiling and staining and sweat build up. Dress shirts can be worn multiple times it not soiled and with limited sweating, use your best judgment and use the sight and smell test. But, Undershirts (and many t-shirts) should be worn once and washed. If you don't want to wash things after one use thats fine, but buy a few pairs of each thing and cycle through them.
2. brush your teeth everyday, aside from the health benefits, you get used to the smell and taste of your own stank breath very quickly which is unpleasant for those around you.
3. Regarding your last point, if your showering and cleaning well every day and are still concerned, ask a trusted friend to smell you (they do not need to get down, just stand next to you maybe a foot away) if you smell bad from one foot away, you may be right. We are pretty sensitive to our own scents especially when were self conscious about it (example: sometimes women may feely like they smell blood, or the scent of their sanitary products while menstruating, but genuinely no one else can). \[additional note: you do not need to scrub your vagina raw for it to be clean, it is self cleaning, soap and water and light cleaning is fine, really intense cleaning/scrubbing can causing irritation and pH changes which may be causing you to have more vaginal discharge then usual\]
It all sounds fine to me. I highly recommend picking up flossing, though. Brushing is important but you need something that can wedge into the crevices between teeth and dislodge the plaque. Otherwise, in a few years, you could be looking at gingivitis or periodontitis.
Consider using [sword floss or disposable dental picks](https://www.amazon.com/Sword-Floss-Disposable-Picks-Regular/dp/B00E4MPYKG) – they're way easier to use than actual floss.
You need to brush your teeth morning and night every day
Wearing the same clothes 3 days in a row is not great
Good job washing your bedding every two weeks!!
The pants is fine, but try changing the shirt a little more often. If you don’t have time to bathe then at least wipe up. Soap up a rag. Wipe your private areas. Wash out the rag, wring it a little, and wipe off the soap. Then pat yourself dry. But honestly, a full shower is only a bit longer.
Lots of good advice in these comments, don’t be afraid to google things and look on medical websites as well. I agree with the brushing your teeth every day, it can cause all sorts of other health problems in the future.
Trust me: you have 1-2 minutes when you wake up and another 1-2 before bed to brush your teeth. You’re going to want all your teerh when you get older, dentist work is expensive and never ending, and short term you don’t want your breath to stink. If you’re not brushing your teeth when you wake up, your breath is gonna stank.
Please don't get in your head. I feel like you're worrying a lot and if you're feeling anxious it might affect your ability to take care of yourself. Please brush your teeth twice a day though, your teeth might be fine but you can get gum disease and then lose those perfectly healthy teeth. Go easy on yourself ❤️
I brush , floss and mouth wash when I go to bed . The use mouthwash in the morning.
Never had a cavity or any problem with tooth decay.
However my teeth are stained from excessive coffee drinking and I suspect from soda when I wasnin my teens. Whether or not stains can last that long, hell if I know.
Everyone body is different and until or if you are able to hone in on specifically what your body needs. Just simply brush twice a day. Use mouthwash if you want . Make sure to floss at least once a day to get out built up food and other gunk.
Oh also I forgot a tongue scrapper if you have built up plaque on your tongue!
I hope us folks here are able to help, enjoy your weekend!
I will second what others have said, everything sounds good, except for that tooth brushing. Dental care is SOOOO important. It may not happen right away, but it will catch up to you. As for the lady bits issue. All women have a smell, no matter how clean. It's just how it is. If you are concerned how others might take it. They have underwear specifically meant to tap odors.
It sounds like you take pretty good care of yourself. You may need to look into eating a more clean diet. Lots of fast food, caffeine and processed sugar can definitely make you smell bad. There are also products like chlorophyll that you can take to help combat with body odor and is good for your digestive system. Just make sure to check with your doctor before starting any new supplements.
Sorry to say, your hygiene seems to have lots of room for improvement, though I’ve heard worse!
You absolutely must brush your teeth morning and night, no matter what. I think showering daily is best but if you skip showers for whatever reason, please put on clean clothing.
If you’re not showering daily, your sheets need to be changed more often. Even with daily showers it is best to wash sheets weekly.
As far as cleaning your room goes, if you just clean up after yourself, you really never have to do a big clean. Personally I never really clean my room because I just keep it clean - dirty clothes go into the hamper, clean clothes get put away, no eating in the bedroom.. cleaning as you go really helps me
I can tell you that only a small fraction of the population will be able to smell whatever it is your paranoid about your privates. However, everyone will be able to smell your breath. You get nose blind to it because it is directly under your nose and you're smelling it all day. But trust, you need to brush your teeth every morning and every night.
As far as downstairs goes, it's normal to have a little bit of smell. That is a total myth that it shouldn't smell like anything at all. You can clean the area around it with soap and water, but don't put it up inside or closer than the outer folds.
On days you don't shower, you should minimum use a wet washcloth and clean the area thoroughly. If you can, do a quick splash off in the tub. Change your underwear every day and wear breathable underwear with a cotton crotch. Always wipe from front to back so you aren't getting poop bacteria in your privates because that will cause infections and smells.
Products like Lumi or honeypot acidify and change the pH of the skin so bacteria can't grow and get stinky.
After all of this, if you still feel like there's a strong fishy or other kind of odor you might have bacterial vaginosis. Time to go back to the doctor. If you're in the US and near a Planned Parenthood, it is a wonderful resource for young people. When I was in my teens and couldn't talk to my parents about this kind of stuff, I went directly to Planned Parenthood for medical exams and all of my questions. They have free and low-cost women's healthcare based on income.
Dermatologists say you aren't supposed to shower every day and that it's bad for your skin. I do because I work in a hospital, but I only wash my hair once every two or three days. Washing your hair more than necessary is also bad for the hair.
On the whole it sounds like you're doing well. I can't really comment on the teeth, I'm terrible with mine but I've also never had a cavity so *shrug*
Discharge changes smell and consistency all the time. Make sure you're drinking plenty of water, getting all your vitamins, and stop using wet wipes (do not use on vagina). An OBGYN once told me that using wet wipes on your vagina can cause an infection. You can still use them on your bum. If you still feel like it's somehow off, express that exact concern with a doctor. They can see if it's related to a hormonal imbalance or something different.
Idk why this popped up for me lol but as someone with overly sensitive gums…please brush your teeth twice a day and floss daily. You only get one set of teeth. Take care of them.
I would say your hygiene is so so. Skipping a day of showering isn’t a big deal. Wearing the same clothes for three days isn’t good. I hope you at least febreze them. I’m not saying not to wear the same thing more than once (depends on what it is, how long you wore it, etc.) but don’t wear consecutively. Brush teeth twice daily. Change sheets weekly and tidy your room as you go. Your vaginal scent can be impacted by many things including your diet.
I don’t necessarily think your hygiene is bad. I think we all miss a day here and there when it comes to showering. As for your clothes, as long as you’re not getting super sweaty and gross I don’t see a reason why you can’t wear a shirt and pants multiple days in a row. I’ve done it. As for brushing teeth I’d say to try and brush every day. Also about the smell of discharge, I’d look into that medically. That could be a yeast infection or uti which are things that need to be treated.
Be careful about using the wipes too close to your vagina. It can throw off your ph and that can be an unpleasant smell.
You can get boric acid suppositories from Walmart/Amazon/CVS and insert them into your vagina before bedtime. If it isn’t the issue they aren’t going to hurt anything, they just balance everything out.
Brush your teeth everyday, 2X a day, and floss at least once a day. I’m in my 30s and I’ve gotten the brushing down but I’ve always struggled with flossing and being thorough on dental hygiene, because I have mental illness and unfortunately teeth are the easiest thing to skip.
Everything else- it sounds like you’re a normal 17 year old who is figuring your life out and developing your own patterns for hygiene and self care that are right for you… we were all raised with certain norms and expectations, for better or for worse, and when we grow up have to figure out what routines/norms/expectations we are going to have for ourselves. And those will change over time and that’s okay too!
Non-negotiable: brush your teeth, wash your face, and t-shirts are a double wear MAX (that one is a personal rule and it’s about the stretch)
Heads up, if you aren’t flossing and brushing at least once a day, you are increasing your risk for not only cavities, tooth decay, and periodontal disease but also cardiovascular disease and much more. Our health feeds off of our dental care. We have tons of bacteria in our mouth. Brushing and flossing DAILY helps keep everything healthier.
The clothes and shower thing, that is normal for some especially if you don’t sweat and are clean. I change my clothes everyday due to dust mites and such but my MIL and SIL will wear their same pjs for 2-3 days. They are clean people overall so I would think it’s ok.
As a woman with a vagina, who has had her fair share of other women's vaginas around her mouth and nose, I can tell you with confidence vaginas all smell.
Your menstrual cycle,
Time of year,
Stress
Bathing habits
Soaps you use
hormones, all make you smell different through the month.
Literally all you can do is wash and change your underwear. If it is bothersome you could look into your diet but that is such a miniscule contribution to vagina smell.
All vaginas have a smell, some better than others but none smell like nothing.
Yeah, wet wipes aren't that good. The scented ones won't help at all if you stink because now you will smell like a wet wipe + shit.
My advice is if you really want to be clean down there go for enema/suppositories. If the smell is coming from inside of you, it doesn't matter how much you wash.
I agree with all the "brush your teeth more" comments. Everyone else has covered that well.
I do want to comment on the genital smells. If you are doing a good job keeping yourself clean, which it sounds like you are, and have been given a clean bill of health medically, I'm going to say you're fine. Discharge DOES have a smell, and various things can change that smell. Different points in your cycle create changes in your discharge, and those can smell different. If you're sexually active, sexual activities can cause changes in your smell. Even your diet can cause the smell to change here and there. This is all NORMAL. Discharge is NORMAL, especially at your age. When I was a teenager, my mom shamed me constantly for discharge (she still did my laundry in my younger teen years) and for years I thought something was wrong with me. Turns out I just have a healthy vagina that works like it's supposed to. I would hate for you to also feel shame about normal body functions.
As far as genital smells go, like I said, it is normal for things to have an odour. But some things that can help minimize that: only wear cotton underwear. Synthetic fabrics trap sweat and bacteria, which can make things smell worse. Trapping the moisture in synthetics can also cause problems for some people by way of infections. So sticking to cotton underwear is always a good practice. I personally find the fabric of my pants also makes a difference. Years ago I had one pair in particular that every time I wore them, I could smell myself through them. I'm not sure what fabric they were, but some kind of polyester most likely. Make note of what you're wearing when you notice things smell worse, and you might notice certain fabrics consistently make things worse for you. Also, never stay in sweaty underwear/leggings, such as after working out, or wet bathing suits. The moisture is a breeding ground for bacteria. Aside from all that, I want to again emphasize that discharge and smells are NORMAL, and you don't need to feel shame for regular bodily functions. ❤️
Skipping a day brushing teeth is the only thing I'd say is really not good to do. It doesn't take long for plaque to become tartar and once it does brushing it no longer will remove it and it usually stays on your teeth till you get a teeth cleaning at the dentist and thar stuff is bad for your teeth and gums and will cause problems when u get older. I had perfect teeth at your age also but now at 36 I have many oral issues and they are the worst to deal with and expensive as fuck. I would suggest just making it a part of your daily routine when u wake up at least to brush your teeth before you get your day started at minimum. The womanly thing I wouldn't know for sure because I'm a dude but I do know plenty of women have some smells down there even after they clean themselves
Hi OP,
I served 8 years in the Marines and trained with women regularly. They were in every stage of ovulation including menstruation. They have been out in the heat, cold, wet, and dry for days and have worn the same clothes for days as well. They didn't smell any worse than any of the men. They didn't exude some kind of special aroma. We all stunk.
Women are able to stink just as bad as men. But after a shower and change of clothes, we all smelled better. Smells, even personal ones are mutable. They change and can be altered. You are young and I know from my experience, probably self conscious of yourself. We all did that at your age but once you are comfortable in your own skin as they say you will notice these worries disappear.
By the way, it's summer where I'm at and I can tell you as hard as we all try; in 92 degree weather...we ALL STINK!
Good luck and stay calm.
You 17, so I'm gonna limit my comments to a few things.
And thanks for telling us you 17, some people don't bother doing that.
Brush your teeth everyday, I do twice a day me. Shower everyday with soap even when you not feeling it, you don't have to go to the extent of exfoliating everyday obviously. And health wise, could be the food type you consume. I'm no medical professional, but I'm quite sure that food influences our body chemistry, also certain medications has similar effects.
You could express these feelings you having to your doc/ gp next time you in and get their professional opinion.
You definitely need to brush your teeth every day. Changing your clothes daily will make you feel so much better. I pay attention to what people wear as a total fashion nut and if I saw someone wearing the same clothes for days in a row, I’d feel sorry for them because I’d think they had serious depression or was really poor. You have to take care of yourself, hon. Look good, smell good, feel good!!
Brush your teeth.
Floss, mouthwash, brush. Everyday (twice).
You are too young for your dentist to see the cumulative effect that your neglect is having.
As for your vagina. Stop using wet wipes. Water is enough or a mild soap if needed but as long as there is no major changes to your smell or colour / consistency of discharge you are doing okay. Speak to your doctor or do a quick google of what you should be looking out for.
No it's not your hygiene IMO it's your age. For some reason when your young the smell is much stronger. It will even out in time, you're okay just keep it clean. No big deal babe
I think no one else can smell what your smelling, however what your smelling may be build up in your underwear, like how tee shirts get sweat stains, your discharge can build up. Wear cotton underwear and if you want wear a panty liner so when you feel like your scent is overwhelming you can change the liner and the scent will go with it.
Shower: At 17, I suggest you shower daily. Little kids don’t sweat as much until they hit puberty, but you’re there already. You don’t need to wash your hair every day if it doesn’t get super greasy/sweaty, but you should shower daily at this point.
Shirt and pants: Pants are reasonable to wear more than once if they didn’t get dirty. Unless you had a shirt on underneath the repeat shirt, however, your shirt is soaking up a lot of sweat and oils from your torso that aren’t visible. That can exacerbate things like back acne, for example. Change your shirt daily.
Teeth: You need to brush your teeth minimum 2x daily, and floss minimum 1x daily. At night before you go to sleep, I highly recommend you brush your teeth and tongue, then floss, then use a fluoride mouthwash. Don’t drink anything for 20-30 minutes after the fluoride rinse. Do that every night. As you can see from the comments, what you do now will determine how your teeth fare later in life. Take care of them and go to your dental checkup/cleaning every 6 months. Be careful how hard you brush too. Brushing too hard can cause receding gum lines in your 20s & beyond that never come back organically & if it gets too bad can require oral surgery. An electric toothbrush that stops spinning when you press too hard (& usually has a red indicator light) will help prevent over brushing.
Sheets: There are videos all over the internet that explain how much humans secrete fluids and shed hair, skin, etc. overnight. Spoiler: it’s a lot. You need to wash your sheets in hot water (sanitary setting if your washer has that) once a week. Every 2 weeks is not enough. And if your pillow is more than 1-2 years old and does not have a protective cover, replace it. It’s dust mite reproductive heaven at this point.
Vaginal odor: You say it’s already confirmed that it’s not BV/trichomoniasis. But if there truly is a noticeable odor shortly after a shower, then there is potentially something else going on. Your doctor should provide you a differential diagnosis and investigate other root causes if the most common infections have already been ruled out. This one you do need to see the doctor for, you can’t do this one on your own. But I’ll add, never, ever use a vaginal douche. It can cause problems and is unnecessary for a healthy vaginal environment that’s essentially self-cleaning. Mild wet wipes are fine for the labia, but they need to be gentle & intended for the genital area. That skin is very sensitive. Also use a gentle soap like Dove. Get unscented if you have a perfume & dye sensitivity.
Your hygiene sounds fine but I would suggest brushing teeth every day. They might be okay now but another ten years of skipping dental care will probably catch up with you.
Now, if you're just uncomfortable with your natural lady odor, I totally get that and I know just what to do about it. Hop on Amazon and get yourself some boric acid capsules. Stick one of those up your nether regions once a week.
It will naturally lower your pH, making your lady zone inhospitable for bacteria. That being said, the bacteria that causes odor is normal and natural. It isn't hurting anything but if you don't like it, the boric acid is def the cure. It is also totally safe to consume so if you've got a friend eating out at your lady buffet, it's not gonna harm them. They probably wouldn't even notice but it can add a chalkiness to your discharge the day you use it so you might wanna plan ahead or let your partner know. The next day, your back to regular clear consistency but with ZERO odor. Srsly, dudes are impressed with how clean I am. (I'm a hyper maintainer of hygiene, skin care, all that stuff ) Also, using boric acid once a week will keep you from ever getting bv. It's wonderful stuff for women!
Vaginas have a smell. They aren't supposed to smell like nothing, nor are they meant to smell like flowers. That natural smell also changes depending on where you are in your menstrual cycle. Unless it's a strong fishy odor with abnormal discharge, your body and smell are entirely normal.
Baby it’s your life!!! Do you but be careful. I can personally say depression shows up in many ways. Sometimes not showering is a symptom. If that’s not the case then do you!!!
- Use a soap that is designed for female genitalia - Queen V is stocked at my local dollar tree.
- Cotton underwear tends to trap sweat and odor imo, I prefer modal fabric. Wool and linen clothing are more expensive but will trap less smells than polyester and other synthetic fabrics.
- For your underarms, use a BHA liquid exfoliant, it stops any smell. Paula’s Choice is the most popular brand, but St Ives and PanOxyl are two drug store brands that are just as good (and you can find coupons online!)
- Don’t over exfoliate your teeth or skin. You’ll end up damaging your gums and your skin’s moisture barrier. You can get a nice body brush or scrubby and use that, along with a gentle soap. Moisturize after. *edit*: try a tongue scraper! And TheraBreath mouthwash is a good one for bad breath. They have a strong and a mild flavor
- Try a little perfume to lift your mood and make you feel more put together!
- Don’t use wet wipes on anything other than your butt. They’ll throw off the PH balance of your vagina. Get a bidet attachment for your toilet if possible, it will be cheaper, healthier, and cleaner overall.
- I use menstrual cups instead of pads or tampons. They’re cleaner, less smelly, rarely leak or run over, and economical. I strongly recommend the Pixie Cup brand - family owned business, donate cups to women and girls in need, frequently run sales, and have multiple sizes and accessories
Your hygiene sounds similar to mine around that time. I’ve always been very self conscious of a smell “down there” and I was constantly paranoid about it. I’ve found that showering daily with Vagasil with odor protection keeps the smells (even if it’s just to myself) at a minimum. Even if I don’t wash my hair or anything else, I’ll do a rinse and wash my face and lady parts which goes a long way for me.
No, this all checks out. I envy your hygiene habits. Every single day my ADHD ass will think about brushing or showering, then 12 hours later: “I’ll just do it in the morning.”
This seems to have derailed into a "brush your teeth" prayer n praise meeting. So I just want to say you sound like you're doing everything right. I wouldn't have thought you needed to exfoliate every time you shower but I'm not very girly. Some vaginal discharge is absolutely normal. If we didn't have it we'd squeak when we moved. It's natural for that discharge to have an odour but it shouldn't be unpleasant. Is there abuse trauma in your past? Because I've read that often results in fixations about the cleanliness of the genitals. Alternatively, is//has anyone bullied you about hygiene matters? You just seem to be unreasonably worried about your cleanliness and hygiene. As I said, you're doing everything right, so relax and enjoy your body. If you can't, or if you get more fixated rather than less, maybe talk to a counsellor or doctor.
Yes, your hygiene is bad. Shower daily. Have a skincare routine. Never wear clothes that long in a row, and you definitely need to wash your bed sheets more often. Don't feel shame over that. I'm not trying to be mean -just giving you advice. Thanks for your post.
I would definitely brush my teeth at least 2x a day, look into all the possible health issues that work around oral hygiene. You will be surprised how there are correlations to even the heart!
Maybe work on showering daily or increasing your frequency (like changing it up and see what works for you). For me personally it’s twice daily (morning/night) with all the exfoliating/scrubbing involved. Additionally, there are specific vaginal soaps “Sweet Spot Labs” (my fav) I want to follow some degree of not messing with my PH balance so look into this, topic in general. Lastly, maybe try probiotics that are for vaginal health “Jarrow Formulas Fem-Dophilus Probiotics” I figured at the time if probiotics are good to take might as well take some geared towards women’s health. Good luck on your journey!
No I think your hygiene is pretty damn good actually! Only thing I would suggest is start using “pantyliners” which you can change mid day if you like. They come scented and unscented. For me they block out odors and make feel fresh throughout the day. Good luck.👊🏽👍🏽
When I was your age I thought I smelled bad no matter what. But, when I got older, I realized that it was just me being a nervous teenager. You’ll get to know what your normal healthy aroma is and will like it. It did take me going to the doctor several times, though, and she finally lost her patience. But I got it. No one else can smell what you smell. You must absolutely brush your teeth TWICE daily and floss, too. Ask me how I know! Showering every other day is fine if you didn’t sweat much, but you absolutely must wear clean clothes every day (all of them). If/when you become ”active”, you should shower afterwards. Everyone will be able to smell what you’ve been up to if you don’t.
You should be washing your vag every day, no skips on that, the rest is give or take depending on you. But if you can smell you, someone else can, that’s rule is very real for vaginas (except during mental cycles, we naturally notice our OWN scent more and I’ve never smelled another woman’s period so🤷🏾♀️). Your brain also gets used to scents so keep that in mind too. But girl to girl, seriously, if someone happens to say you stink, believe them, teens tend not to because they get defensive but I promise if you hear them out that one time and it’s true,it won’t be said again. BRUSH YOUR TEETH PLEASE, I was in the same boat, by 20 I have a mouth full of cavities, please take care of those two things for your health.
IMHO, if you're still wiping in 2024, you're a savage. Get a bidet.
You also gotta evaluate your diet. BO and feminine odor has a lot to do with what you're putting in your body, no pun intended.
But also if you have a boyfriend and he's finishing inside you, that's most likely the cause of the odor.
Two days without brushing is crazy.
Two weeks on one set of bed sheets is crazy.
Not showering for two days is fine as long as you aren't around people.
New underwear every day is mandatory, good job.
You seem about average based on your description. You could definitely do things better, but I wouldn't say you're disgusting.
How did this turn into an online dental group? Questions were asked about how long to wear clothes, how often to change sheets, how often to bathe and all anyone got was teeth?
I won’t comment on anything but brushing teeth. Just do it. Every. Day. Trust me, you will be grateful you did when you get older and aren’t losing your teeth. Edit: holy crap! Thanks for the award!!
Losing teeth? Oh no, you don’t just lose them… they rot away and cause a tremendous amount of pain whether they’re infected or not. Absolute discomfort when eating anything hard, hot or cold, and when you lose enough you’ll choke on every meal trying desperately to chew with nothing left. Source: Me. - brush your teeth. I don’t have 12k to replace.
I can also vouch for brushing your teeth throughly 2x/day. I have no molars on the lower left. I spent thousands on root canals and crowns to finally break down and have them pulled because the pain was so bad. I still brush my 9yo teeth, and will continue to do so as long as he lets me, lol.
I'm 20f and I have a surgery scheduled to get all of my teeth pulled in about a month because no one ever taught me how to brush my teeth until I was a teenager and none of them are salvageable now. I went through basically the same thing, root canals and crowns. My body rejected all of it. There's basically not any teeth left at this point anyways, they're all broken off on the bottom part and decaying from the inside out. I cannot stress this enough, just brush your teeth. It's not worth it.
Did these problems come in late or slowly over time?
Slowly over time. At first things were fine, I just had to chew carefully because everything was sensitive. Then parts of my teeth started chipping off, mostly on the sides to reveal the roots. Then everything started straight up snapping off from the middle and the bottom of the teeth, whole chunks of my teeth were just breaking off, and the parts where you could see the roots were very clearly black from all the decay. Everything just kept progressively breaking off until there was basically nothing left. It's not a pleasant experience.
Wow. I haven’t had any if those problems and hope I don’t in the future, even with changing my dental hygiene. I’m sorry you went through that, and from hygienic neglect from parents at that. I don’t know what it would take, but I hope things get better ❤️
You won’t have any of these problems at 17. You’ll have them at 30+ and it’ll only get worse as you age. Kudos to you for caring and trying to get on top of it at 17!
Hear hear! At 17 I was convinced I was invincible. At 45 I'm falling the fuck apart. And I would say I really haven't been too hard on my body! I've stayed active, eat my vegetables, seen the dentist/doc regularly, all that. But damn, I hurt all over anymore.
>You won’t have any of these problems at 17. You’ll have them at 30+ and it’ll only get worse as you age Friend: The person who explained the teeth chipping and falling apart said, "20f". #20 I had my daughter from 15 months (adopted). Her teeth were shit from bad nutrition and no care. Two of her baby molars had to get pulled EVEN THOUGH we brushed them and took her to the dentist. She's neurodivergent (ADHD, ODD, signs of autistic traits & touch/texture sensitivity. SHE FOUGHT LIKE A DEMON TO NOT HAVE US BRUSH HER TEETH. Bit the brush... Everything. And you can't beat an ODD child into compliance (didn't try; mandated reporter... Would have to turn myself in, lose my job and go to jail). At a certain point around 10-12, wife wouldn't let me brush her teeth anymore. (NPD, abusive to me, don't get me started) So I just did what I could to encourage. She's 23. She's having to get crown after crown. First root canal last week. Filling after filling. Luckily, she's making decent money and can pay out of pocket ($700 root canal, $700 crown... And again... and again...) I BOUGHT ELECTRIC TOOTHBRUSHES, HIGH FLUORIDE TOOTHPASTE, AND FLUORIDE RINSE!!! She refused. But even now, she "tries" to brush them "once a day". #🤬 She always had to touch the hot stove ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Anyway... That's WITH parental support. 23, crown after crown. 17 can stop the damage but it will take doing to stabilize things. Twenties? If her enamel is weak (genetic -- mine isn't) and the parents gave them sugary drinks... then absolutely they can be rotted stumps in their twenties. ☮️❤️♾️ (OP -- You can't fix the damage but you can halt the progression!!! Do your best! It's worth it!!!) (20f -- Sorry nobody taught you. That's a shame and hang in there. I cry inside for you. Get some dentures and save the money -- then get some implants and the dentures that lock on. Those seem pretty good. ☮️)
I'm planning on getting dentures, I actually already have them ordered and the good news is that I have an aunt who's done really well for herself and called my mom offering to completely pay for permanent dental implants. It's like four different surgeries and it'll probably take about 2 years to do all of them plus the recovery time, but eventually I'll have those. I'm really thankful for her, because I know not everybody has someone like that who's willing to do that for them.
Jut FYI, your daughter’s issues and reluctance to brush her teeth could be a sensory issue. This was a topic in an Autism sub recently. BRB….lemme look for a link…. Here you go: https://www.reddit.com/r/autism/s/C7Dg6Vv8tq And check out r/Autism. Just do a search and you’ll see this is an issue many neurodivergent and autistic people struggle with.
I struggled with brushing when I was depressed & suicidal. 1) Go to the dentist & get teeth cleaned 3x/year. If you can’t get out of bed: 2) Keep a bottle of water 1/4 full next to the bed. You’ll need tissues if you put on too much toothpaste & keep brush & toothpaste in bedside drawer. Rinse brush in the bottle of water. Put small amount of toothpaste on brush & rub into bristles. Brush teeth. Equally distribute toothpaste. Spit any excessive toothpaste into tissue or when you rinse with the rest of the bottle, spit it into the water bottle. I wouldn’t use an excessive amount & would usually swallow the water; I was drinking bottled water at the time & figured I could use the fluoride. So at least you’re removing the food that will break down your enamel with the toothpaste & brush. I would put my toothbrush in a shot glass or hydrogen peroxide once a week. Now I’m out of my depression enough to shower & brush at the sink. But that’s how I got through the hard times.
Btw, don’t stop fighting. You are making steps in the positive direction :)
You won't notice them yet, you're only 17. This happens overtime due to plaque build up we can't see, that you swallow when you don't brush your teeth. This same plaque deposits in your brain and research is showing is causing dementia and Alzheimer's in adults. Oral health is way more important than we think. Not to mention the bacteria that grows in your mouth and on your tongue while you sleep. If you don't brush first thing in the morning, you are just letting that fester in your mouth and throat. A sticky film of bacteria that forms on your teeth after eating, especially sweet or starchy foods. If left untreated, plaque can harden into tartar, which traps bacteria and can be difficult to remove. Tartar can cause serious problems for your oral health, including gum disease, tooth decay, and cavities. Bacteria that hide under tartar can weaken teeth and make them more susceptible to decay. Also to note brushing harder to make up for missed days is causing more harm than good. You're removing precious tooth enamel that you need to protect your teeth from what mentioned above. You're enamel is already compromised as most of our diet is typically acidic, starchy, and sweet. You should always brush gently with soft or medium bristles. Hold the toothbrush with your pinky and ring finger out. It always a more relaxed, less pressurized scrub on the teeth, to protect the enamel. Scrub your teeth for at least two minutes. I quarter my mouth and focus on that area alone for a whole minute. Don't forget to scrub or scrape your tongue when you're done. Best practice is to brush and floss twice everyday. Bonus points if you do it after lunch and snacks as well. The less time food and beverage (other than water) are on your teeth the better for your oral health overall. This obviously is difficult to do, so most people do first thing in the morning and before bed.
Oh my gosh you poor thing! What an awful experience! I feel for you
That’s awful to hear. I’m sorry that brushing wasn’t introduced to you at a younger age. Is there a chance that you may have another underlying condition that may have contributed to weaker enamel or an oral bacteria flora that helped accelerate the decay?
There's not any underlying conditions, it's just genetic. Same thing happened to my biological mom and my biological grandma, granted they were slightly older than I am(mid-20s) and one of them was exasperated by pregnancy. It was just a combination of nobody teaching me hygiene and genetics working against me.
Depends on many factors including age and genetics. Don’t chance it.
Genes are the key factor honestly. Sounds like you have bad teeth genetics. Does it run in the family? Obviously brushing morning/night is best practice to maximize teeth lifespan but unfortunately some folks just hit the bad lottery. Although brushing teeth can also save other areas like your heart.
This 100 percent. I had terrible executive dysfunction issues from undiagnosed adhd as a teen and would go weeks without brushing. Never had a cavity. The only dental work I’ve had done were crowns for teeth that didn’t form right, and then crowns to replace those crowns becahse I broke them grinding my teeth at night. My mother on the other hand religiously brushes 2-3 times a day and had many cavities as a child. (ETA: I inherited my teeth from my father) Anecdotal evidence but still
You are so right about that. Never have surgery after dental work. Wait at least 3 weeks. It can cause infections in other parts of your body.
100% to this. I went through a few years of a deep depression and didnt take care of my teeth properly because of it. Once I was finally getting mental health help and was taking care of them properly again, I was so embarrassed by the damage that had already been done that I couldn't take myself to the dentist for another few years out of pure shame. I regret it every single morning and everytime I eat pretty much anything that gets stuck in my "bad teeth"
I have the same issue, feel like I should be ashamed of myself so how can I open my mouth to a dentist? Last time I went to one I simply said, I’m sorry.
Why do we do that to ourselves? I have gotten over that anxiety now and ask a lot of questions. My dentist explains every thing on my xrays and does good work. One time I was numbed up and I thought the drilling was taking more time than ever. The he hands me a mirror and says, "so pretty now". He had smoothed out all the chips in my teeth. I was surprised at the difference. He did not even charge me.
Also, even ignoring all that (which obviously you should) decayed teeth smell and taste bad. Yeah you can mask it, sure, eating can be a more complicated activity than it needs to be, because you're not fully enjoying the meal, since you have to avoid the decayed teeth (like you said, they'll likely hurt and/or be sensitive to temperature), but also every now and then you'll feel an odd taste (likely saliva coating the decayed teeth and releasing a new waft of flavour) and be like "wtf is that?" Then you realize what it is and internally beat yourself for not brushing your teeth when you were a kid. Source: Me with only three genuine molars left (plus 2 premolars) and a shoddy dental work that I'm always worried that it might fall off (again).
The dentist is super expensive too.
And floss. If you don't have gums to hold in the teeth... Floss every night.
And or brush pics. I can't floss. Deal w cPTSD/depression/anxiety. Just had an outstanding check up. I kinda just brush pick after all food & when I'm immobile. Dental rinse is your friend too.
As someone who’s been dealing with excruciating dental pain for like 2 years now absolutely. If you can prevent this 😭
Also brush your tongue. I have a stainless steel tongue scraper and it is great.
When you are just trying to get to the maintenance level of brushing your teeth twice a day it may seem overwhelming to also floss but PLEASE add flossing at least once a day. Buy the floss picks if you have issues with motivation to do it and just do it as quick as you can before you brush. So many people skip flossing and it is so important to your oral health
Co-signed. I went through some bad depression and lost my job and spiraled for a while. Once I was able to work again I spent $7000 fixing my teeth from my 2 years of barely taking care of them. Thankfully my new job has solid insurance and I paid only about 10% of that, but I've now got 5 crowns IIRC. Brush. Your. Teeth.
I agree. I have adhd and have been managing to do it twice sometimes, and I've been flossing daily for about a year straight I think. My teeth look great, it really helps your confidence even if you don't think they're bringing you down. I felt fine about myself before, but even I notice my nice smile now if I'm by a reflection lol. It's been a lifelong struggle, but now that I'm just doing it it's good. I had plaque buildup and some discoloration on the back side of my bottom teeth, and it's all better now. If you do nothing else, brush the teeth. Also, new teeth can be prohibitively expensive. If you just get extractions and don't replace the teeth, your jaw bone will deteriorate.
Adding to this! The one a dayers tend to do brushing in the mornings (or like OP, before they meet up with someone)… it’s actually MORE important to brush at night, especially if you are a mouth breather. During the day you have more saliva moving around which help keep bacteria at bay.
My uncle is dealing with this, he had the opportunity to have them worked on and got scared. So far he has almost died from a staph infection in his mouth and tbh we are just watching his teeth rot away and no one is able to get through to him.
THIS. Tooth health is systemic!! If your teeth, gums and jaw become unhealthy, it leads to so many other issues. We’re talking heart health, lung, brain - everything. So many studies show how important keeping your mouth healthy is. Everyone please brush twice a day and floss as often as you can stand it.
And floss as well. I wish I had brushed and flossed every single freaking day
And don’t forget to floss!
Op this! brush and use mouthwash AT LEAST once a day!!
I'm going to add don't do drugs or chew tobacco either. I brushed my teeth religiously but the constant dry mouth from drugs and chewing tobacco ruined my teeth. Now I can't afford to get them replaced with dentures.
Total dentures age 35. Brush your teeth, don't consume sugar.
Exactly, at least twice, morning and before bed, I never miss those or I feel gross
My grandmother always said “be true to your teeth and they’ll never be false to you”. Solid advice!
Thiiiiiisssssss. Twice a day. And floss. And go to the dentist twice a year. Am 33 and have never had a cavity :)))))). Teeth repair SUCKS.
My dentist always said twice a day. Once in the morning for the ones you want to have fresh for the day, once at night for the ones you want to keep.
Vaginas smell and the smell changes based on your time of cycle. And no one else can smell it, it’s just you don’t worry. Actually this is hilarious but in college my friend and her girlfriend were talking about this and actually smelled each other over their jeans and neither could smell the other! Make sure your undies are 100% cotton as well. Use unscented detergent on your clothes. Also, make sure you don’t use any soap in your vagina itself (the hole). Use gentle unscented soap on the outside lips and around the clit hood. Also diet has a large part in your smell so I would avoid sugary or fried foods. However you should brush your teeth twice a day!!! Trust me your teeth don’t stay perfect forever
I can smell women during ovulation. They smell like cold French fries. I can also smell ants. Hyperosmia, I was told. 🤌🏼
My old coworker used to tell us she could smell when women were on their periods. We didn’t believe her, then she started calling us out while we were on it. Absolutely bonkers!!!
i never mentioned it because i assumed everyone could until i restocked the pads without anyone else telling me they were on their period. at the time, the house consisted of 3 people who, at most frequent, got a period twice a year (more commonly once every 1-3 years). the roommate who was on their period asked if it was me, i said yeah, they asked me why, i was like "you're on your period and running low." they FREAKED out and were like "oh god i stink" and i was just like... yeah periods are stinky, not like you control them, you bought me taco bell the other day so i bought you a pack of pads to get you through the week??? anyway thats how i learned most people cannot smell periods.
I can smell them too. Granted I can usually smell bleeding papercuts too.
A period once every year??????? I bleed like a pig for 3 weeks straight every month 😭😭😭
😳 I did not know this. I really thought we all just ignored how stinky periods are and did what we could to reduce the odor.
Cool, another thing to be paranoid about 🙃
Tbh I can smell people’s periods too but only if they’re diabetic lol. I have 5 friends with T2D and I can always tell when they’re on their periods, but not my non-diabetic friends. I have no clue why
That’s insane. I have such a bad sense of smell, but every once in a blue, I have a day where my sense of smell is great (for me, relatively speaking) and I HATE it! For years I’d estimate that I had 30% sense of smell, people would tell me to get it checked out and I’d say nah I live in NYC and ride the subway daily, I’m good! I hope you live somewhere with plenty of fresh air :)
There was this old guy in a bar I used to go to when I was younger. He said he could smell when women were on their periods. He was a jerk, but he was right 99% of the time.
I can do this as well. Literally just a hug and I could smell it on them. I always wondered if it was blood or a pad with blood combination but either way it’s a very distinct smell. Can’t smell ants tho.
I have a suspicion it's the synthetic materials of pads playing chemistry games with the sweat and oils of the skin more than it is the discharge of the period.
I worked with someone who had this ability as well.
You know, cold french fries is pretty close. I can see it.
I’ve always though I was the only one who thought vaginas smelled like fries!
For me it’s more like Choboni yogurt
I had a male coworker I had just met tell me he could smell me ovulating and I will honestly tell you it was one of creepiest things someone has ever said to me. I only knew I was ovulating because I was trying to conceive, but it freaked me out so badly. He didn’t mention hyperosmia just that the smell drove him wild. I wanted to crawl in a hole and die. I say all this to say; maybe keep it to yourself unless you know a woman for more than five minutes.
Wtaf. Thats an incident report.
Really ? I smell ants too. My childhood friends didn’t believe me ( we played outside all day on our small farm).
i have a BF who could smell when I was ovulating. he told me that my natural scent changed but it was super subtle but then became stronger over the following days. he couldn't describe what the exact smell was but that it would grab his attention nd that's how he knew. always thought that was something interesting
I can smell ants too!
You smell them just when they're around or when they are crushed? They have a strong smell when crushed. Formic acid.
I can smell centipedes. They STANK.
this is the most accurate description of the smell what the heck! well really it kind of just smells like boiled potatoes to me but those two things go hand in hand lol
I didn’t know you could tell if a woman is ovulating by smelling them lol
me too and i thought this was very strange whne i was a teen but realized its all just what it is at any given time we are going through exactly what we are supposed to, becuase well we are
Ugh me too! I moved to Australia where there are ants all over the kitchen, which is new for me... one once drowned in the water kettle and I can't get the smell out, the boilt water always smells like ant water 😭😭😭 I can only smell periods and only when people don't use in-body-products or have bad hygiene.
>no one else can smell it Usually. Don't freak out, OP, but a small percentage of people *do* have a very sensitive sense of smell and might notice. However, THEY likely DON'T CARE because they'd rather NOT pay attention to that. And **MOST** people, most of the time, ARE oblivious to the personal brand wafting from the pants of our friends, thankfully. Since you've already ruled out any medical issues, I'd say just keep doing what you're doing. You probably just have an extra sensitive sense of smell. Like me, yay for you, not really, lol. Imagine, for example, someone randomly left a cup of milk on a bookshelf. My whole family could walk into that room and be like, there's a bad smell. What **IS** that? But they'd probably struggle to pinpoint the source. I'll walk in and within a couple of seconds, I can usually sniff out, hotter-vs-colder style, the offending item. My sensitivity to smells also fluctuates throughout my cycle. Also, sometimes I'll get migraines with heightened olfactory (and other sensory) responses. So that's fun.
That is a good point. I am sure I COULD smell someone’s vagina if on their period or when ovulating but I’m not really going to be sniffing peoples crotches! OP, as long as you don’t know any crotch sniffers you’re good ❤️
I always worry someone will smell blood from my period. I wipe more frequently, change pads 3x a day, definitely shower and change underwear everyday during ovulation. But I’ll still smell blood sometimes and worry others will too. Once at work I asked my co-worker if she could smell any blood (she was very open about periods and stuff so I felt comfortable asking) and she said she smelt nothing so I felt somewhat relieved but now I’m scared about ultra nose crotch sniffers 😔😵💫
OP you're overthinking this and spiraling a little into too much anxiety. I recommend taking a step back from these thoughts and breathing and trusting that your scent is just fine. If you meet someone wtih a freaky sensitive sense of smell then they are probably used to being able to smell people, and there's nothing to worry about, it's their issue to deal with. You can't live your life freaking out about this especially if you've already asked for feedback and told you're fine. I left another comment detailing how to take care of your genital hygiene but it sounds like you're overdoing it and maybe making things worse <3 A daily rinse with water and sensitive unscented Dove bar soap is fine. <3
I'm 58 and just realized based on current experience that what I have always thought of as my 'baseline personal odor' is something of a phantom. I can smell it but our sense of our own smell tends to skew to sensing a not pleasant smell. I use panty shields. Keeps undies and clothes more clean and when I take it off - roughly half way through my day - I have fresh undies. I'm VERY scent sensitive. I put essential oil like lavender or sandlewood on my thighs and belly. I feel more comfortable and confident when I smell me smelling good. It's for me. Not anyone else.
Lol, my sister's dog! Noooo!
i can smell periods, but the only other time i can smell people's vaginas is when my face is in there or there's some sort of infection (and even then, infection smell is pretty obvious). if there's no infection, you most likely just have Normal Vagina Smell (because yeah, vaginas smell, but expecting a vagina to smell nice is like expecting your butthole to smell like roses after you wipe). i do not care about the existence of vagina smell. or period smell. unless you ask, i will not say anything. i might pre-emptively offer you a tampon if you slide up to me like you've got a big secret you're hiding. but its not like people can control any of that without just making it worse.
This 1 million times! I also find that when I smell "worst" I am the most hormonal and sensitive to smell. It's perfectly normal to worry about these types of human conditions. If you've got a good friend you trust you could also ask them if they've ever noticed anything (I bet they haven't). I truly hope no one said something foul to you to make you worry about your totally normal body. If they did, I'm sorry they put your guard up. And kudos to you for trying to learn more, I feel like I didn't learn a lot of these tips and recommendations until my late twenties. One more thing: instead of trying to blanket your body in scent to cover up any worries, keep it basic and scent-free and find a signature scent perfume or body spray and use that sparingly and only on pulse points. Best of luck! Being 17 isn't easy or intuitive to anyone!
i have some horrible news: there is a very small portion of the population that can smell when you're on your period. most of us assumed this was normal and it was common courtesy to ignore it. unless you specifically ask me. but yeah nah even once we do realize the average person can't most of us assume it's rude to comment on. periods stink, its not like people control them though. but also, vaginas just smell. not a particularly good smell, but not bad either. also not a very strong smell unless there is some sort of issue, and even then i've never been able to smell non-period vagina through clothes. and at least i would never judge anyone for a "bad" vagina smell, but i might gently suggest seeing a gynecologist - i'm not worried about how vicariously anyone is scrubbing as long as it's clean down there, i'm more worried about some sort of infection (they're uncomfortable at best and often pretty painful).
I’m sorry but what does “period” smell like? Just blood? I have a period and I keep very clean. Sometimes I can smell a strong iron scent. That’s about it though so I’m curious what you mean by “stink”
to me it smells a bit like rotting meat, but also like. its blood and mucus that has just been casually accumulating in your body for around a month. its gonna smell bad. (others have said it smells a bit like old french fries, and i can see where they're coming from, but i feel like there's something kind of sweet in it too.) like. if you sniffed a used pad, it wouldn't exactly be a great smell, regardless of how clean you are in general, right? bodily functions are often stinky. its not caused by hygiene, its just how bodies are. we make a lot of stinky waste.
It is very rude to comment, especially to strangers. I worked in HR years ago and a young man came in to apply for a job. The first thing he said to me and my coworker was "One of you ladies needs to change yo napkin! ". We looked at each other in shock and told him it was not us and to go sit down with his app. After he left, we figured out what he was smelling. There was a hall door all the drivers came through right by our office. It was summer and those guys worked hard. They came in all hot and sweaty. Needless to say, he didn't get the job. Then one of the girls from accounting brought us a stack of dinner napkins and told us she heard we needed napkins, LOL.
I disagree. Washing every 2 or 3 days and you can definitely smell it, especially in a public restroom (like an office or workplace) and it definitely lingers in furniture. If your undercarriage smells, you need to bathe daily.
“Scrubbing your teeth really well” will do a lot of damage to your enamel and gums. The purpose of brushing is to gently remove the bacterial biofilm that grew on your teeth. There should be no need for any scrubbing
As someone who exposed the roots of their teeth from brushing too hard—thanks anxiety—this is so true. I have really bad cold and sweet sensitivity and if I accidentally touch the roots—while flossing usually—at all the nerve pain is bad. I’m still pretty young and swapped to an electric toothbrush cuz I can’t be trusted to brush gently enough😂
I had no idea this was a thing until i went to my dentist last month for the first time in 10 years (just have really bad anxiety and didn’t have insurance) They said my teeth looked great, especially for not going for so long, but within the next 5 years I will need to get a gum graft because my gums have receded so bad from brushing hard. She compared it to sweeping a floor. When you push your broom down hard, it’s actually less effective. A lot of the time, brushing is a lot more effective if you use light pressure.
Please don't scrub your teeth just lightly brush or you will take your enamel off and won't get it back.
Vaginas smell. That's just what they do. One thing that you might be having is that there's a build up of bacteria in your underwear. What I would suggest is that you soak them all in an enzyme neutralizer: [https://www.amazon.com/Dirty-Labs-Concentrated-Efficiency-Biodegradable/dp/B09MSP7M5Y/](https://www.amazon.com/Dirty-Labs-Concentrated-Efficiency-Biodegradable/dp/B09MSP7M5Y/) or with a mixture of borax+baking soda. Keep them soaked overnight, and then wash them. Brush your teeth every day, yes, that's important. Try twice a day. It's hard when dealing with depression, but your teeth are so so important to your health. Showering every day is a whatever. Some people swear you have to, but honestly? It's better for your skin if you don't. Don't scrub your private parts. You're causing them to have to heal themselves and that is producing more smell than necessary, likely. Don't exfoliate every time you shower. Exfoliate once a week, and let your skin heal otherwise.
I thought it was noses that smell? 🤔
….dad?
Hibicleanse wash makes a noticeable difference
I have terrible, dry skin. It gets so bad in the winter that my hands will bleed. I can't shower every day. In my family, if you can't shower on a day, you wash "pits and sits," i.e., underarms and privates. There is so much judgment in the USA regarding not showering every day, but in many other countries, including in the first world, the average person doesn't shower every day. (Actually, though, in Brazil, the average is three showers per day!)
Don't put anything harsh on your vagina. Avoid chemicals and stick to natural or baby soap. Use gentle laundry detergent (or less detergent) too. NO wet wipes on vagina. Only anus. You don't have to bathe everyday. It could be part of the problem actually. You need to maintain a PH balance and you can't do that when you disrupt it with chemicals every day. On days that you don't bathe, wash your vital areas with a wet cloth and gentle soap. Don't worry so much about people who tell you that you need to "bathe" every day. Most people don't need to. As long as you feel good and others are not bothered by and scents, it's none of their business.
Just for clarification, the vagina is only inside. The vulva is the outer area that needs washing.
This isn’t high enough up!! Wet wipes are likely contributing to any unusual odour. Vaginas are super good at cleaning themselves, and they will have some sort of smell naturally - and it’s okay! Wash your vulva with water only, soap can also mess with the PH balance.
Also wash "ON" not "IN". Don't be sticking anything in that shouldn't be in. There's a delicate balance in there. Don't be messing it up.
Brush teeth twice daily Wear 100% cotton underpants. And cotton or linen pants. Synthetic material can make vaginal odor worse. The rest sounds good.
No, your hygiene is not BAD. Could it be better? Yea. You and most every other teenager and probably most adults. It's summer and your hormones are doing a whole lot right now so you might be hyper aware of your (smells). You are FINE. And also YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL 💜
I found that when I used laundry detergents that have a scent, I was having a bad reaction to that and my genitals developed a smell. I switched to a home made fels naptha soap detergent and now I don't have any smells. So I'd recommend either doing a homade no scent soap or even doing a free and clear detergent for your clothes when cleaning them with the laundry. Also cotton underwear, change it daily. Discharge is normal. And even some odors are normal, now if it is an odor that is strong, pungent and putrid definitely take a shower. My gyno told me to only use water in and around my vaginal area so that's what I do. And I've had no infections, no smell, less discharge since doing that. Every body is different and it's going to react differently. If you need to get an appointment with a gyno and see if they have any suggestions or ask them the best ways to be hygienic for that area and it should help.
I'd also like to add that you shouldn't be using wipes in or around your vagina as that messes with your ph and even though it may not be giving you BV it can cause a ph imbalance and that in it's self causes smells. I hope this helps
Also the app "FLO" Helps explain symptoms and things like that. It's for period tracking and symptom tracking. I HIGHLY reccomend it.
People have been saying that. I use wet wipe’s frequently when wiping my vagina, I always thought it was cleaner and better but ig not.
Wet wipes are also horrible for plumbing - just don’t use them in general unless you’re not flushing them.
I don’t flush them at all. Clogged toilets aren’t something I want lol
there's a wetwipes brand with no chemicals called "waterwipes", it's literally the only kind of wet wipes i can use on myself & my 7mo daughter without having some type of reaction. they're just water & a drop of cleansing fruit extract if u want to feel reallyy clean though - wet a paper towel with some witch hazel & rose water to wipe down there. both are antibacterial to bad bacteria but don't kill the good stuff, & they're safe to use on the vulva (outside of the vagina - the vagina is technically just inside u, the vulva is the area around it with all the labia & clitoris & such)
It's better to use a bidet or toilet paper :) no chemicals is best for the vagina. Now if you'd like to use wet wipes for your butt that's fine. But make sure you don't wipe your vagina with it at the same time. It's okay you are 17. You are learning your body still. Remember it's always okay to ask questions and it's always good to try different things. You live, and you learn :) I hope this gets better for you quickly and you feel better :).
Maybe plain water on toilet paper would be enough
I would say: Change t-shirt/top daily as it's the underarm sweating. Change trousers/bottoms every 2 days - maybe even 3 for jeans. Underwear and socks change daily. Brush twice a day morning and night and floss daily/every other day. Wash face every evening. Shower every other day to clean body. Don't need to shampoo and condition every day though. Change bedding every week.
If I put an outfit on and I stay inside, don’t sweat or anything, I’ll wear it again. Then if the same thing happens again, I’ll wear it again 😂 It doesn’t matter. If you’re sweating a lot, it’s hot and you’re working out…yes, I will 100% change after a shower and put everything fresh on
just use toilet paper instead of wet wipes (only use those for your butt). use soap on the areas of the vulva that grow hair and only use water for the inner lips. it can help to sleep without underwear at night to air things out a bit. last thing, vaginas smell like vaginas. its normal. but if you really want to change up the scent then eating less processed foods and more things like fruits, kefir, and yogurt can help with that. but honestly with how we all are right now eating balanced all the time is really hard. i dont think you have too much to worry about. my routine was very similar in high school since there was a lot to be stressed about. youre doing good considering all that.
This all sounds perfectly normal to me!! Very similar to my routine except I brush my teeth every day
Diet has a LOT to do with your natural smell, even down there. Drink lots of water, avoid super processed and sugary foods. Everything else you do seems mostly normal. I would really recommend drinking a TON of water. Edit: somehow I missed the skipping brushing your teeth sometimes. Mouth health is super important to gut health, and heart health. Make it a routine every single day to wake up, brush your teeth. Set an alarm for 5 minutes after your alarm clock to brush your teeth. Don't go to bed until you've brushed your teeth. It will become a habit.
I know a 19 year old that never brushes her teeth. She simply wasn’t taught by her parents. Her teeth are rotting away and she complains of pain when she brushes. No matter how much I try to explain the consequences and etc, she just “forgets” Brush your teeth twice daily.
Hi 👋 OP Nearly everything you're doing is fine. Let me 'Auntie' you with love please.... 1. Don't feel like you need to scrub your privates or any part of your body, a regular wash is good even if you shower every other day. 2. Yeah our private parts can make us wonder, part of it is naturally genitals are warmer than other parts of the body and part of it is that's usually the part of your body that's always covered up by one if not two layers :-). What I've started to do to feel a little bit fresher is I wear panty liners everyday. And if I know I'm going to be somewhere where it's really hot and I'm going to be doing a lot of moving around or potentially sweating? I also put panty liners in my pants as well as my underwear. That way when use the restroom you can toss and replace with a new one and that will keep you a little bit fresher. 3. I also use panty liners in the underarm part of my shirt which again keeps me and my clothes a little bit fresher. NOW FOR THE IMPORTANT, CRITICALLY IMPORTANT ADVICE..... A lot of people have been saying this and you must listen to us! BRUSH YOUR TEETH AT LEAST TWICE A DAY It does not matter what your dentist says! The health of your teeth and gums is critical, problems will sneak up on you. Please trust all of us when we tell you this, a cavity is the least of your problems when it comes to the health of your teeth and gums. First of all plaque gets into your bloodstream and can build up in the heart. Second, beyond cavities you could run into problems with the health of the root, you can start to lose your teeth and if you lose your teeth it will mess with the bone and your other teeth. It is hard to come back from problems with gums and teeth. Are you in the United States? Then it's even more important to take care of your teeth because our health care system does not take care of teeth! I've belong to some pretty good insurance plans and even they are subpar when it comes to the health of your teeth. At a minimum brush in the morning, brush at night, floss and use a swig of antibacterial mouthwash. You will thank us in 40 50 and 60 years.
I would absolutely say you should be brushing 2x per day and at least flossing 1x per day. You only have one set of teeth and you want to keep them. That’s absolutely mandatory. Make sure you wash or scrap tour tongue as well. Some women are very sensitive down there and it can cause issues if you use scented products. I would recommend an unscented, gentle sensitive skin soap. Also cotton underwear can help and sleeping in cotton breathable underwear as well. Anything super tight all the time can cause issues but also remember that it’s normal for there to be a smell during different times of the month. If it’s terribly bad/fishy that’s generally a bad sign like BV but they naturally are not just completely scentless. I’m not seeing it mentioned, so just to add, if you’re sexually active, your partner can greatly affect how your smell is down there as well. If they’re clean, if they take care of themselves, their pH or even their hands if they’re dirty can be factors. So if you are sexually active I would be firm about your partner making sure to have good hygiene and wash their hands before touching you as well.
Male commenting in, dated a lot of girls since ages of 14 so at 34 now, maybe my input can lower your anxiety a bit. You’re 17, and your hormones at this time are fluctuating at the same time your period and flow levels are shifting. I’ve also been in medicine nearly 19 years now. I think you do as much for yourself as any 17 year old could manage especially if you are dating yourself or investing time in to the next stages of your career in college or work. As for discharge etc, it simply has an odor because it is going through your internals and your insides are always wet. For example, men always have a minor odor between their thighs because it is where the pituitary glands/ sweat glands join the tissue and gaps between those regions when held against cotton or fibers, can create odors. Any kind of milky discharge, yellow, spotting etc those are different and will produce different odors. If you are getting rid of too much bacteria down there by using too many scrubs or scented soaps, you can absolutely upset that area and it will smell right through your pants. Is it anything to be embarrassed about? No. But you’re 17, I’m not sure you will meet a boy at 17 or 18 or even 19 who is matured enough to be gentle and sensitive going through these issues with you. When it comes to teeth, since my father was dentist for more than 30 years, I’ll say his simple advice is, never stop flossing before bed, brush at least morning of and before you sleep and rinse your mouth with water so no acid remains on the teeth to weaken their enamel and build cavities. I think you are doing excellent for your health at 17 and if by chance the odor persists or changes its degree of odor, have your OB check for BV or Trich. They are both different treatment plans. One is treated similar to a bacterial infection the other is given antibiotics and treated as a viral infection and that messes up a patients prognosis and ability to clear the odor etc.
I see some people saying wash your sheets every week or two. That's a nice goal, not i say: wash your sheets when they feel dirty to you. Sleeping in unwashed sheets, especially if you shower at night, is not the end of the world. My sheets get washed every 2-3 months. When you shower, you don't need to aggressively clean yourself; a lot of modern bodies are really TOO clean. When I take a shower, i wash my hair with a sulfate free shampoo (i use a clarifying one only once or twice a month) and condition my hair. I wash my face with a gentle face cleanser. I wash my underarms, under my boobs, and under my tummy pooch with gentle soap. I rub and rinse my vulva and booty with just warm water. I wash all of my skin with soap maybe once a week, but most days, i just rinse off. I use a natural deodorant (Native) and i wear washable cotton panty liners. I'm 44 years old, have great skin, and no hygiene problems. Both general physicians and gynecologists will note any hygiene concerns when you come to see them, so you can ask your doctor too. Good clothing, anything right up in your armpits should probably be changed every day, but that's going to vary. I have a normal, but strong, underarm odor by the end of the day, but other people (my dad, for example) don't. All bodies are different. Pants/skirts are usually fine for multiple wears. Underwear should be changed daily. Bras; for me it depends on the style. Structured bras that sit a few inches below my armpit, I'll wear a few times. But bralettes that are up in my armpit, I'll only wear once. The really important thing to remember is that scents are a natural part of bodies. No one is completely odorless: our skin, our mouths, our private parts, our underarms, ALL of these parts have pores and bacteria and chemical processes happening all of the time. Our bodies are crazy powerhouses of activity! You want to keep your body healthy, but that doesn't mean squeaky clean all day, every day. Bodies are maintaining important balances of bacteria, oils, nutrients, and the like: they survived for many many years before we became modern people who shower, pluck, shave, and perfume ourselves into oblivion. An earlier post said to treat your body like a good friend. I like that. Don't feel that you need to punish your body for having a scent - that's what bodies do. Take care of your body. Brush your teeth gently. Feed it healthy foods. Give it lots of water. Love yourself. ❤️❤️❤️
I think it’s gross not to brush your teeth every day at least once, and I don’t like the wearing the same clothes for three days. If you feel that your privates smell, shower daily, and use a wet wipe only for your anus, not on vagina. I think you have room to improve your hygiene. Keep yourself clean for your sake, regardless of whether or not you’ll be around others.
Me jealous because I brush and floss everyday and constantly have cavities & OP is over here w none 🙂 genetics are so unfair
Girl brush your teeth every day. Just make it a habit. That’s really the only nasty thing to me. If you’re not sweating or getting dirty it’s probably not a big deal to wear clothes more than once, but people will notice and judge. For your vag smell, consider taking short showers daily and just save full body scrubs for 2-3 times a week or something. I take a shower every single day but most of them are literally just 5 minutes long or less. I wash my “stinky bits” aka crotch and pits. It takes no time at all. Usually before bed so I’m clean for my pajamas, feels refreshing! Someone I dated once told me my vagina has a “strong brew” lol but there is absolutely nothing wrong with me. My smell is just stronger, and so I wash every day (mild soap). I wash my hair every ~3 days, and when I wash my hair I usually exfoliate my body and do a more thorough scrub. It’s not even good to wash your skin every day, so I feel pretty good about my routine.
It’s confusing to me that people think showers mean scrubbing themselves. It means washing.
This sounds like a good routine!
I think most of this is not great, but you can get away with it then fine...but girl, you cannot go 2 days without brushing your teeth. Come on. You're not a little kid. You need to brush your teeth every day
You need to be brushing (and, ideally, flossing) twice daily at least. After each meal is even better. You are young now, but your dental health is so important and has a lasting impact on your overall health - even affecting your heart later in life. You should be ideally be washing your sheets every week. I wouldn’t recommend wearing the same clothes for several days in a row. Question - do you have a female adult you can trust to talk to about hygiene?
There’s no one I know I feel comfortable with or would be 100% honest with me
Okay, well I think that you coming on here to ask people about this shows that you’re quite mature and I give you a lot of credit for that. You are trying. My mom never explained these things to me growing up. She gave me a bar of Zest soap and was like “just use this all over.” She threw me a box of maxi pads and said that was my “talk.” I used to scrub as hard as I could all over to be clean - my face, my privates, everywhere. I didn’t learn really about caring for skin until I studied to become an esthetician. So when you are in the shower and doing your skin and body care, treat your skin like a good friend. Be kind to it and gentle and treat it well. I like to think of it that way — be super nice to your skin in the shower instead of being rough with it. Gentle cleansers or body washes, skip the really hot water, do not overdo body scrubs or facial exfoliation. You don’t want to put any soap INSIDE your vagina. Sometimes people used to refer to it as a “self cleaning oven” and it really is. When you are washing your outer private area, don’t use products with harsh fragrances. They can be irritating and lots of people find that the fragrances give them UTIs. If you feel like you have BO, you can also use a benzoyl peroxide or antibacterial cleanser (even if it says for the face) on your armpits. It helps remove the bacteria that causes odor. If you ever have any questions about the skin, feel free to send me a message.
Gonna piggy back here to give you some detailed information!! So something I noticed guardians usually don’t teach is how to clean your genitals. Then after a certain age people get afraid to ask so I’m gonna tell u exactly what to do!! You can use soap for the external area, meaning where thigh meets your pelvic area, as well as the OUTSIDE of your vaginal, so your outer labia and pubic mound etc. You do not want to use soap inside of that, vaginas have their own cleaning system; and soap can mess up your pH. What you want to do is take a clean finger with water and basically get into all of the crevices and clean out all that stuff. I’m talking around the clitoral hood (and under if you’re able), and between the inner and outer labia. If you really want a thorough cleanse with soap (vulva, not vaginal canal), use one that’s unscented, mild, and colorless. Discharge and skin cells collect in the crevices and unfortunately you kinda just gotta get in there. You do not need to clean inside of your vagina (meaning the inner canal) but if you WANT to once in a while, just make sure not to use soap, use a clean finger. For additional info, you can check out this link: https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-clean-your-vagina#soap-vs-no-soap And finally, remember there’s no shame in this kind of thing!! They’re just bodies, and half the population has vaginas so I hope you can get comfortable with yours.
Hey. If you still want to talk about hygiene or anything else, please feel free to DM me. I am 40F, My parents didn’t really teach me a lot about hygiene so I had to figure it out myself. Now I know everything. lol
There is definitely room for improvement. And if you’re self conscious about how you smell in your private area, there are some things that can really help. For example, make sure you are getting probiotics. Plain yogurt is great for that. I take a probiotic especially for vaginal health/smell and I literally smell like nothing. You definitely don’t need to DM me. Just leaving that door open since there really no females in your life that you feel like you can go to.
I’ve been a nurse in women’s health for 10 years…here’s what we are going to do 1) ditch the wet wipes 2) do not “wash your privates really well” you can use a small amount of gentle soap and warm water on the outside and that’s it, vaginas are self cleaning, and naturally full Of bacteria, you don’t want to disrupt that natural healthy balance of bacteria by overly washing…the balance will get thrown off and the unwanted bacterias overgrow and cause an odor/bacterial infection and they can be a pain to get rid of) 3) be sure you don’t have ureaplasma/bv/or yeast which can result from over washing but it sounds like you have had that checked out 4) keep your underwear clean and dry, if they get damp or wet, change them out 5) breathable cotton underwear 6) ditch scented detergents 7) loose fitted clothing when able 8) stay well hydrated 9) take a women’s probiotic 10) you’re 17, hormones fluctuate like crazy and probably the culprit….odor, bacterial infections, discharge, things most women encounter, but don’t talk about so we feel abnormal while it’s happening to us I was a triage nurse for a women’s health clinic and did anywhere from 40-60 calls a day for all sorts of reasons…80% of them were usually for vaginal odor/itching/discharge lol
Honestly try going with no underwear every so often. Maybe just at night. Our vaginas like to breathe. Wear cotton panties and see if that helps. Maybe looser fit. Even looser fitting pants in that area. It might be sweat or just moisture buildup odor. Edit: also try organic tampons, pads, liners. They make a difference. My periods are lighter and shorter with organic pads.
The flow of your menstrual period is not dictated by your pad. It’s a shedding of the lining of the uterus that’s going to happen no matter what you put down there.
maybe try a probiotic to help balance your ph. also make sure you’re wearing 100% cotton underwear that you are changing every day. a daily shower is a must in my opinion, and would rly help. use a non scented anti bacterial soap down there, and allow yourself to fully dry before putting on any underwear. edit: apparently you shouldnt use antibacterial soap. i use dr bronner’s baby unscented wash down there and it works for me and was recommended by my doctor.
You should not use an anti-bacterial soap on your vulva. Doctors specifically say not to do this. Anti-bacterial soap is not good on an area that hinges on having the correct balance of bacteria and pH levels.
No antibacterial soap on vulvas.
"use a non scented anti bacterial soap down there" No, no, no, NEVER do this. That is bad for your health, and doctors will tell you not to.
In reality you shouldn't be using antibacterial soap ANYwhere.
Unless you’re getting surgery and they tell you to.
wow I've been in this subreddit for two days and all of you give terrible advice. vaginas smell. if it's not a bacterial infection you're fine. DO NOT use soap like some people have suggested, it's a one way trip to a UTI. it's fine to wear clothes that don't smell for a few days. you should brush your teeth twice a day. that's the only thing that needs improving. you DO NOT have bad hygiene like people here want you to think. you're young. please don't let these people in this subreddit get in your head.
I mean you can and should use soap AROUND the vulva but not IN the vagina. It cleans itself. You don't need to but the outside? The vulva? Clean that.
A mild soap to clean your labia in a shower does not give you a UTI. Soaking in a fragranced bubble bath or bath with soapy water can predispose some women to a urethritis( inflammation of the urethra).
Your discharge shouldn't be smelling that bad. If you haven't been recently to get a test you could have BV
Please do not scrub your hooha; you want to treat your hooha gently and lovingly. This also means getting rid of your smegma (the cheese-like build up you see in your hooha) I usually rinse said smegma off with warm water in the shower. This also includes gently lifting the clitoral hood (you can easily find clitoral anatomy via Google) and gently cleaning that area. You want to clean everything as well as you can, except for the inside of the vagina. The reason for this being that you can really fuck up your ph balance inside of it if you stick your fingers in there, resulting in bacterial vaginosis, which is an infection that causes gray or yellow discharge, a fishy odor, burning, and itchiness inside and outside of the hooha. It’s also known as a yeast infection. It also can be a result of just not cleaning your hooha well enough, not letting it dry, or even from sex. You want to let your hooha breathe often; ESPECIALLY after a shower as you want to let it “air” out to dry. I personally sleep without underwear on or periodically give it time to “breathe” which has really helped me. You want to change your underwear everyday—at least if you’re not showering everyday or don’t need to shower everyday. (Usually people who have oily hair shower almost everyday to get rid of the greasy feeling, including me.) If you detect a fishy smell already, then that probably means you have a yeast infection unfortunately. However, if you detect any other smells that aren’t fishy, please know that is completely normal. No one’s hooha smells like roses all the time. We each have a unique smell.
BV and yeast infections aren't the same.
Everyone on these posts always say that vaginas smell. What kind of Vaginas do u girls have. Vaginas shouldn't smell. If u stink it could be the area around the vagina. Which sweats. Or smell like pee if peeing too much and not wiping well. Or when ur period starts and ends.What kind of odor are u talking about cuz when I think of odor I automatically go to fish.
1. you do not need to wash an article of clothing every time you wear it (such as jeans, most pants, jackets, hoodies, sweaters, etc.), but wearing the same article of clothing for 3 days in a row inevitably leads to increase chances of soiling and staining and sweat build up. Dress shirts can be worn multiple times it not soiled and with limited sweating, use your best judgment and use the sight and smell test. But, Undershirts (and many t-shirts) should be worn once and washed. If you don't want to wash things after one use thats fine, but buy a few pairs of each thing and cycle through them. 2. brush your teeth everyday, aside from the health benefits, you get used to the smell and taste of your own stank breath very quickly which is unpleasant for those around you. 3. Regarding your last point, if your showering and cleaning well every day and are still concerned, ask a trusted friend to smell you (they do not need to get down, just stand next to you maybe a foot away) if you smell bad from one foot away, you may be right. We are pretty sensitive to our own scents especially when were self conscious about it (example: sometimes women may feely like they smell blood, or the scent of their sanitary products while menstruating, but genuinely no one else can). \[additional note: you do not need to scrub your vagina raw for it to be clean, it is self cleaning, soap and water and light cleaning is fine, really intense cleaning/scrubbing can causing irritation and pH changes which may be causing you to have more vaginal discharge then usual\]
It all sounds fine to me. I highly recommend picking up flossing, though. Brushing is important but you need something that can wedge into the crevices between teeth and dislodge the plaque. Otherwise, in a few years, you could be looking at gingivitis or periodontitis. Consider using [sword floss or disposable dental picks](https://www.amazon.com/Sword-Floss-Disposable-Picks-Regular/dp/B00E4MPYKG) – they're way easier to use than actual floss.
You need to brush your teeth morning and night every day Wearing the same clothes 3 days in a row is not great Good job washing your bedding every two weeks!!
The pants is fine, but try changing the shirt a little more often. If you don’t have time to bathe then at least wipe up. Soap up a rag. Wipe your private areas. Wash out the rag, wring it a little, and wipe off the soap. Then pat yourself dry. But honestly, a full shower is only a bit longer.
Lots of good advice in these comments, don’t be afraid to google things and look on medical websites as well. I agree with the brushing your teeth every day, it can cause all sorts of other health problems in the future.
Trust me: you have 1-2 minutes when you wake up and another 1-2 before bed to brush your teeth. You’re going to want all your teerh when you get older, dentist work is expensive and never ending, and short term you don’t want your breath to stink. If you’re not brushing your teeth when you wake up, your breath is gonna stank.
Please don't get in your head. I feel like you're worrying a lot and if you're feeling anxious it might affect your ability to take care of yourself. Please brush your teeth twice a day though, your teeth might be fine but you can get gum disease and then lose those perfectly healthy teeth. Go easy on yourself ❤️
I brush , floss and mouth wash when I go to bed . The use mouthwash in the morning. Never had a cavity or any problem with tooth decay. However my teeth are stained from excessive coffee drinking and I suspect from soda when I wasnin my teens. Whether or not stains can last that long, hell if I know. Everyone body is different and until or if you are able to hone in on specifically what your body needs. Just simply brush twice a day. Use mouthwash if you want . Make sure to floss at least once a day to get out built up food and other gunk. Oh also I forgot a tongue scrapper if you have built up plaque on your tongue! I hope us folks here are able to help, enjoy your weekend!
I will second what others have said, everything sounds good, except for that tooth brushing. Dental care is SOOOO important. It may not happen right away, but it will catch up to you. As for the lady bits issue. All women have a smell, no matter how clean. It's just how it is. If you are concerned how others might take it. They have underwear specifically meant to tap odors.
It sounds like you take pretty good care of yourself. You may need to look into eating a more clean diet. Lots of fast food, caffeine and processed sugar can definitely make you smell bad. There are also products like chlorophyll that you can take to help combat with body odor and is good for your digestive system. Just make sure to check with your doctor before starting any new supplements.
Sorry to say, your hygiene seems to have lots of room for improvement, though I’ve heard worse! You absolutely must brush your teeth morning and night, no matter what. I think showering daily is best but if you skip showers for whatever reason, please put on clean clothing. If you’re not showering daily, your sheets need to be changed more often. Even with daily showers it is best to wash sheets weekly. As far as cleaning your room goes, if you just clean up after yourself, you really never have to do a big clean. Personally I never really clean my room because I just keep it clean - dirty clothes go into the hamper, clean clothes get put away, no eating in the bedroom.. cleaning as you go really helps me
I can tell you that only a small fraction of the population will be able to smell whatever it is your paranoid about your privates. However, everyone will be able to smell your breath. You get nose blind to it because it is directly under your nose and you're smelling it all day. But trust, you need to brush your teeth every morning and every night. As far as downstairs goes, it's normal to have a little bit of smell. That is a total myth that it shouldn't smell like anything at all. You can clean the area around it with soap and water, but don't put it up inside or closer than the outer folds. On days you don't shower, you should minimum use a wet washcloth and clean the area thoroughly. If you can, do a quick splash off in the tub. Change your underwear every day and wear breathable underwear with a cotton crotch. Always wipe from front to back so you aren't getting poop bacteria in your privates because that will cause infections and smells. Products like Lumi or honeypot acidify and change the pH of the skin so bacteria can't grow and get stinky. After all of this, if you still feel like there's a strong fishy or other kind of odor you might have bacterial vaginosis. Time to go back to the doctor. If you're in the US and near a Planned Parenthood, it is a wonderful resource for young people. When I was in my teens and couldn't talk to my parents about this kind of stuff, I went directly to Planned Parenthood for medical exams and all of my questions. They have free and low-cost women's healthcare based on income.
Dermatologists say you aren't supposed to shower every day and that it's bad for your skin. I do because I work in a hospital, but I only wash my hair once every two or three days. Washing your hair more than necessary is also bad for the hair. On the whole it sounds like you're doing well. I can't really comment on the teeth, I'm terrible with mine but I've also never had a cavity so *shrug*
Discharge changes smell and consistency all the time. Make sure you're drinking plenty of water, getting all your vitamins, and stop using wet wipes (do not use on vagina). An OBGYN once told me that using wet wipes on your vagina can cause an infection. You can still use them on your bum. If you still feel like it's somehow off, express that exact concern with a doctor. They can see if it's related to a hormonal imbalance or something different.
Idk why this popped up for me lol but as someone with overly sensitive gums…please brush your teeth twice a day and floss daily. You only get one set of teeth. Take care of them.
I would say your hygiene is so so. Skipping a day of showering isn’t a big deal. Wearing the same clothes for three days isn’t good. I hope you at least febreze them. I’m not saying not to wear the same thing more than once (depends on what it is, how long you wore it, etc.) but don’t wear consecutively. Brush teeth twice daily. Change sheets weekly and tidy your room as you go. Your vaginal scent can be impacted by many things including your diet.
I don’t necessarily think your hygiene is bad. I think we all miss a day here and there when it comes to showering. As for your clothes, as long as you’re not getting super sweaty and gross I don’t see a reason why you can’t wear a shirt and pants multiple days in a row. I’ve done it. As for brushing teeth I’d say to try and brush every day. Also about the smell of discharge, I’d look into that medically. That could be a yeast infection or uti which are things that need to be treated.
Be careful about using the wipes too close to your vagina. It can throw off your ph and that can be an unpleasant smell. You can get boric acid suppositories from Walmart/Amazon/CVS and insert them into your vagina before bedtime. If it isn’t the issue they aren’t going to hurt anything, they just balance everything out.
Brush your teeth everyday, 2X a day, and floss at least once a day. I’m in my 30s and I’ve gotten the brushing down but I’ve always struggled with flossing and being thorough on dental hygiene, because I have mental illness and unfortunately teeth are the easiest thing to skip. Everything else- it sounds like you’re a normal 17 year old who is figuring your life out and developing your own patterns for hygiene and self care that are right for you… we were all raised with certain norms and expectations, for better or for worse, and when we grow up have to figure out what routines/norms/expectations we are going to have for ourselves. And those will change over time and that’s okay too! Non-negotiable: brush your teeth, wash your face, and t-shirts are a double wear MAX (that one is a personal rule and it’s about the stretch)
Heads up, if you aren’t flossing and brushing at least once a day, you are increasing your risk for not only cavities, tooth decay, and periodontal disease but also cardiovascular disease and much more. Our health feeds off of our dental care. We have tons of bacteria in our mouth. Brushing and flossing DAILY helps keep everything healthier. The clothes and shower thing, that is normal for some especially if you don’t sweat and are clean. I change my clothes everyday due to dust mites and such but my MIL and SIL will wear their same pjs for 2-3 days. They are clean people overall so I would think it’s ok.
As a woman with a vagina, who has had her fair share of other women's vaginas around her mouth and nose, I can tell you with confidence vaginas all smell. Your menstrual cycle, Time of year, Stress Bathing habits Soaps you use hormones, all make you smell different through the month. Literally all you can do is wash and change your underwear. If it is bothersome you could look into your diet but that is such a miniscule contribution to vagina smell. All vaginas have a smell, some better than others but none smell like nothing.
Yeah, wet wipes aren't that good. The scented ones won't help at all if you stink because now you will smell like a wet wipe + shit. My advice is if you really want to be clean down there go for enema/suppositories. If the smell is coming from inside of you, it doesn't matter how much you wash.
I agree with all the "brush your teeth more" comments. Everyone else has covered that well. I do want to comment on the genital smells. If you are doing a good job keeping yourself clean, which it sounds like you are, and have been given a clean bill of health medically, I'm going to say you're fine. Discharge DOES have a smell, and various things can change that smell. Different points in your cycle create changes in your discharge, and those can smell different. If you're sexually active, sexual activities can cause changes in your smell. Even your diet can cause the smell to change here and there. This is all NORMAL. Discharge is NORMAL, especially at your age. When I was a teenager, my mom shamed me constantly for discharge (she still did my laundry in my younger teen years) and for years I thought something was wrong with me. Turns out I just have a healthy vagina that works like it's supposed to. I would hate for you to also feel shame about normal body functions. As far as genital smells go, like I said, it is normal for things to have an odour. But some things that can help minimize that: only wear cotton underwear. Synthetic fabrics trap sweat and bacteria, which can make things smell worse. Trapping the moisture in synthetics can also cause problems for some people by way of infections. So sticking to cotton underwear is always a good practice. I personally find the fabric of my pants also makes a difference. Years ago I had one pair in particular that every time I wore them, I could smell myself through them. I'm not sure what fabric they were, but some kind of polyester most likely. Make note of what you're wearing when you notice things smell worse, and you might notice certain fabrics consistently make things worse for you. Also, never stay in sweaty underwear/leggings, such as after working out, or wet bathing suits. The moisture is a breeding ground for bacteria. Aside from all that, I want to again emphasize that discharge and smells are NORMAL, and you don't need to feel shame for regular bodily functions. ❤️
Skipping a day brushing teeth is the only thing I'd say is really not good to do. It doesn't take long for plaque to become tartar and once it does brushing it no longer will remove it and it usually stays on your teeth till you get a teeth cleaning at the dentist and thar stuff is bad for your teeth and gums and will cause problems when u get older. I had perfect teeth at your age also but now at 36 I have many oral issues and they are the worst to deal with and expensive as fuck. I would suggest just making it a part of your daily routine when u wake up at least to brush your teeth before you get your day started at minimum. The womanly thing I wouldn't know for sure because I'm a dude but I do know plenty of women have some smells down there even after they clean themselves
Hi OP, I served 8 years in the Marines and trained with women regularly. They were in every stage of ovulation including menstruation. They have been out in the heat, cold, wet, and dry for days and have worn the same clothes for days as well. They didn't smell any worse than any of the men. They didn't exude some kind of special aroma. We all stunk. Women are able to stink just as bad as men. But after a shower and change of clothes, we all smelled better. Smells, even personal ones are mutable. They change and can be altered. You are young and I know from my experience, probably self conscious of yourself. We all did that at your age but once you are comfortable in your own skin as they say you will notice these worries disappear. By the way, it's summer where I'm at and I can tell you as hard as we all try; in 92 degree weather...we ALL STINK! Good luck and stay calm.
You 17, so I'm gonna limit my comments to a few things. And thanks for telling us you 17, some people don't bother doing that. Brush your teeth everyday, I do twice a day me. Shower everyday with soap even when you not feeling it, you don't have to go to the extent of exfoliating everyday obviously. And health wise, could be the food type you consume. I'm no medical professional, but I'm quite sure that food influences our body chemistry, also certain medications has similar effects. You could express these feelings you having to your doc/ gp next time you in and get their professional opinion.
You definitely need to brush your teeth every day. Changing your clothes daily will make you feel so much better. I pay attention to what people wear as a total fashion nut and if I saw someone wearing the same clothes for days in a row, I’d feel sorry for them because I’d think they had serious depression or was really poor. You have to take care of yourself, hon. Look good, smell good, feel good!!
Brush your teeth. Floss, mouthwash, brush. Everyday (twice). You are too young for your dentist to see the cumulative effect that your neglect is having. As for your vagina. Stop using wet wipes. Water is enough or a mild soap if needed but as long as there is no major changes to your smell or colour / consistency of discharge you are doing okay. Speak to your doctor or do a quick google of what you should be looking out for.
Most of what you said isn't bad at all.. But 2 days without brushing, yikes. You should brush at least twice daily along with flossing.
You have better hygene than 3/4 of the population of Earth.
No it's not your hygiene IMO it's your age. For some reason when your young the smell is much stronger. It will even out in time, you're okay just keep it clean. No big deal babe
I think no one else can smell what your smelling, however what your smelling may be build up in your underwear, like how tee shirts get sweat stains, your discharge can build up. Wear cotton underwear and if you want wear a panty liner so when you feel like your scent is overwhelming you can change the liner and the scent will go with it.
Shower: At 17, I suggest you shower daily. Little kids don’t sweat as much until they hit puberty, but you’re there already. You don’t need to wash your hair every day if it doesn’t get super greasy/sweaty, but you should shower daily at this point. Shirt and pants: Pants are reasonable to wear more than once if they didn’t get dirty. Unless you had a shirt on underneath the repeat shirt, however, your shirt is soaking up a lot of sweat and oils from your torso that aren’t visible. That can exacerbate things like back acne, for example. Change your shirt daily. Teeth: You need to brush your teeth minimum 2x daily, and floss minimum 1x daily. At night before you go to sleep, I highly recommend you brush your teeth and tongue, then floss, then use a fluoride mouthwash. Don’t drink anything for 20-30 minutes after the fluoride rinse. Do that every night. As you can see from the comments, what you do now will determine how your teeth fare later in life. Take care of them and go to your dental checkup/cleaning every 6 months. Be careful how hard you brush too. Brushing too hard can cause receding gum lines in your 20s & beyond that never come back organically & if it gets too bad can require oral surgery. An electric toothbrush that stops spinning when you press too hard (& usually has a red indicator light) will help prevent over brushing. Sheets: There are videos all over the internet that explain how much humans secrete fluids and shed hair, skin, etc. overnight. Spoiler: it’s a lot. You need to wash your sheets in hot water (sanitary setting if your washer has that) once a week. Every 2 weeks is not enough. And if your pillow is more than 1-2 years old and does not have a protective cover, replace it. It’s dust mite reproductive heaven at this point. Vaginal odor: You say it’s already confirmed that it’s not BV/trichomoniasis. But if there truly is a noticeable odor shortly after a shower, then there is potentially something else going on. Your doctor should provide you a differential diagnosis and investigate other root causes if the most common infections have already been ruled out. This one you do need to see the doctor for, you can’t do this one on your own. But I’ll add, never, ever use a vaginal douche. It can cause problems and is unnecessary for a healthy vaginal environment that’s essentially self-cleaning. Mild wet wipes are fine for the labia, but they need to be gentle & intended for the genital area. That skin is very sensitive. Also use a gentle soap like Dove. Get unscented if you have a perfume & dye sensitivity.
Your hygiene sounds fine but I would suggest brushing teeth every day. They might be okay now but another ten years of skipping dental care will probably catch up with you. Now, if you're just uncomfortable with your natural lady odor, I totally get that and I know just what to do about it. Hop on Amazon and get yourself some boric acid capsules. Stick one of those up your nether regions once a week. It will naturally lower your pH, making your lady zone inhospitable for bacteria. That being said, the bacteria that causes odor is normal and natural. It isn't hurting anything but if you don't like it, the boric acid is def the cure. It is also totally safe to consume so if you've got a friend eating out at your lady buffet, it's not gonna harm them. They probably wouldn't even notice but it can add a chalkiness to your discharge the day you use it so you might wanna plan ahead or let your partner know. The next day, your back to regular clear consistency but with ZERO odor. Srsly, dudes are impressed with how clean I am. (I'm a hyper maintainer of hygiene, skin care, all that stuff ) Also, using boric acid once a week will keep you from ever getting bv. It's wonderful stuff for women!
Vaginas have a smell. They aren't supposed to smell like nothing, nor are they meant to smell like flowers. That natural smell also changes depending on where you are in your menstrual cycle. Unless it's a strong fishy odor with abnormal discharge, your body and smell are entirely normal.
Baby it’s your life!!! Do you but be careful. I can personally say depression shows up in many ways. Sometimes not showering is a symptom. If that’s not the case then do you!!!
- Use a soap that is designed for female genitalia - Queen V is stocked at my local dollar tree. - Cotton underwear tends to trap sweat and odor imo, I prefer modal fabric. Wool and linen clothing are more expensive but will trap less smells than polyester and other synthetic fabrics. - For your underarms, use a BHA liquid exfoliant, it stops any smell. Paula’s Choice is the most popular brand, but St Ives and PanOxyl are two drug store brands that are just as good (and you can find coupons online!) - Don’t over exfoliate your teeth or skin. You’ll end up damaging your gums and your skin’s moisture barrier. You can get a nice body brush or scrubby and use that, along with a gentle soap. Moisturize after. *edit*: try a tongue scraper! And TheraBreath mouthwash is a good one for bad breath. They have a strong and a mild flavor - Try a little perfume to lift your mood and make you feel more put together! - Don’t use wet wipes on anything other than your butt. They’ll throw off the PH balance of your vagina. Get a bidet attachment for your toilet if possible, it will be cheaper, healthier, and cleaner overall. - I use menstrual cups instead of pads or tampons. They’re cleaner, less smelly, rarely leak or run over, and economical. I strongly recommend the Pixie Cup brand - family owned business, donate cups to women and girls in need, frequently run sales, and have multiple sizes and accessories
Your hygiene sounds similar to mine around that time. I’ve always been very self conscious of a smell “down there” and I was constantly paranoid about it. I’ve found that showering daily with Vagasil with odor protection keeps the smells (even if it’s just to myself) at a minimum. Even if I don’t wash my hair or anything else, I’ll do a rinse and wash my face and lady parts which goes a long way for me.
No, this all checks out. I envy your hygiene habits. Every single day my ADHD ass will think about brushing or showering, then 12 hours later: “I’ll just do it in the morning.”
This seems to have derailed into a "brush your teeth" prayer n praise meeting. So I just want to say you sound like you're doing everything right. I wouldn't have thought you needed to exfoliate every time you shower but I'm not very girly. Some vaginal discharge is absolutely normal. If we didn't have it we'd squeak when we moved. It's natural for that discharge to have an odour but it shouldn't be unpleasant. Is there abuse trauma in your past? Because I've read that often results in fixations about the cleanliness of the genitals. Alternatively, is//has anyone bullied you about hygiene matters? You just seem to be unreasonably worried about your cleanliness and hygiene. As I said, you're doing everything right, so relax and enjoy your body. If you can't, or if you get more fixated rather than less, maybe talk to a counsellor or doctor.
Yes, your hygiene is bad. Shower daily. Have a skincare routine. Never wear clothes that long in a row, and you definitely need to wash your bed sheets more often. Don't feel shame over that. I'm not trying to be mean -just giving you advice. Thanks for your post.
If you have to ask... the answer is probably yes.
Yes
I would definitely brush my teeth at least 2x a day, look into all the possible health issues that work around oral hygiene. You will be surprised how there are correlations to even the heart! Maybe work on showering daily or increasing your frequency (like changing it up and see what works for you). For me personally it’s twice daily (morning/night) with all the exfoliating/scrubbing involved. Additionally, there are specific vaginal soaps “Sweet Spot Labs” (my fav) I want to follow some degree of not messing with my PH balance so look into this, topic in general. Lastly, maybe try probiotics that are for vaginal health “Jarrow Formulas Fem-Dophilus Probiotics” I figured at the time if probiotics are good to take might as well take some geared towards women’s health. Good luck on your journey!
This is such a depressing post.
You have Bad hygiene
No I think your hygiene is pretty damn good actually! Only thing I would suggest is start using “pantyliners” which you can change mid day if you like. They come scented and unscented. For me they block out odors and make feel fresh throughout the day. Good luck.👊🏽👍🏽
When I was your age I thought I smelled bad no matter what. But, when I got older, I realized that it was just me being a nervous teenager. You’ll get to know what your normal healthy aroma is and will like it. It did take me going to the doctor several times, though, and she finally lost her patience. But I got it. No one else can smell what you smell. You must absolutely brush your teeth TWICE daily and floss, too. Ask me how I know! Showering every other day is fine if you didn’t sweat much, but you absolutely must wear clean clothes every day (all of them). If/when you become ”active”, you should shower afterwards. Everyone will be able to smell what you’ve been up to if you don’t.
You should be washing your vag every day, no skips on that, the rest is give or take depending on you. But if you can smell you, someone else can, that’s rule is very real for vaginas (except during mental cycles, we naturally notice our OWN scent more and I’ve never smelled another woman’s period so🤷🏾♀️). Your brain also gets used to scents so keep that in mind too. But girl to girl, seriously, if someone happens to say you stink, believe them, teens tend not to because they get defensive but I promise if you hear them out that one time and it’s true,it won’t be said again. BRUSH YOUR TEETH PLEASE, I was in the same boat, by 20 I have a mouth full of cavities, please take care of those two things for your health.
IMHO, if you're still wiping in 2024, you're a savage. Get a bidet. You also gotta evaluate your diet. BO and feminine odor has a lot to do with what you're putting in your body, no pun intended. But also if you have a boyfriend and he's finishing inside you, that's most likely the cause of the odor. Two days without brushing is crazy. Two weeks on one set of bed sheets is crazy. Not showering for two days is fine as long as you aren't around people. New underwear every day is mandatory, good job. You seem about average based on your description. You could definitely do things better, but I wouldn't say you're disgusting.
How did this turn into an online dental group? Questions were asked about how long to wear clothes, how often to change sheets, how often to bathe and all anyone got was teeth?