You wake up in the morning, head to the bathroom, shower, brush your teeth and clean your tongue with your TUNG Brush and Gel. You look over, and there is your partner – all dressed and heading out the door for the day. Wait!!! He didn’t brush his teeth! YUCK, you think – how is that possible? How can anyone not brush his or her teeth every day!?!?
Good habits start early
Have you thought about asking your partner if his mom or dad took him to the dentist regularly when he was a child? Perhaps she wasn’t taught good oral hygiene at home either. The patterns established in childhood can continue throughout adulthood. But that doesn’t mean they can’t change!
Don’t be mean – but be honest
Whatever you do, remember that any subject that broaches hygiene is difficult and can be embarrassing. Think about how hard it might be to tell someone she needs deodorant, right? Well, the same idea holds true for telling someone their teeth are yellow or their breath is stinky. And remember, too, that your partner may just become super-defensive and jump down your throat. Stay calm and remind him that this is for his own good, stress health, appearance etc. Don’t make it about you. And remember – you may have to have this conversation more than once.
Use a visual to help him or her understand
While you are having your quiet conversation, bring a mirror. Assuming that your partner’s teeth are yellow or decaying, let him or her see what he or she looks like to others. And, while you are at it, have some evidential facts with you. Let your partner know the statistics of tooth loss and gum decay that result from poor hygiene.
Call in the pros!
You may just have to drag your partner to a dentist, but it might provide him with the scientific and objective explanation of how his lack of care is deleterious to his health. And a professional cleaning and exam might be the best way to kick-start a new at-home oral hygiene regime.
When all else fails – remember to stress how much you love your partner! Give your partner a big kiss even if you cringe a little 😉…them remind him or her how much better those kisses will be if you BOTH take care of your mouths!
So what if your partner still doesn’t brush his/her teeth even though they know the pros and cons?? My partners breath smells like shit and it’s destroying our sex life. I can not be aroused when all I smell
Is shit
Well to be honest, why are you still with him? No way I would even date someone who doesn’t take care of his teeth, let alone live with him. I don’t understand some of you women…why don’t you leave him??? To me it’s a deal breaker if someone doesn’t have good hygiene.
Omg same! Did you figure out how to help your partner with routinely brushing their teeth? Im struggling trying to get my husband to brush. I think it’s been almost a week and he finally brushed today cause I asked. It also doesnt help that he smokes. And it does upset him when I make him brush his teeth and shower before we get intimate. I dont want to act like his parent telling him to brush, but something needs ro change. When we dated he always smelled good. Now married 3 yrs and 2 kids he needs to be an example.
Did your partner start brushing after telling him??
My 52 year old girlfriend won’t regularly brush her teeth and her breath constantly stinks so bad! She is always want sex, which is great, but her mouth smells like a sewer! When I try to tactfully talk to her about it, she makes it out that I’m being unreasonable; obviously she doesn’t care that her breath smells like shit…it is so nasty!
Im going through this with my baby momma. Ive got a 6 month old. Its driving me crazy and she begs for sex nonstop. Ive told her numerous times how this is affecting me and our relationship still its worse than a child. I could MAKE a child but what do I do with a grown woman who refuses. Do I just up and leave my 6 mo. old child or take him from her. Grrrrrr
I like to think I take care of my teeth. I brush in the morning and brush and floss at night and rinse with listerine. It is my daily ritual whether I feel like it or not. My husband, on the other hand, does not brush his teeth. I can’t say “never” actually as there may be occasions…but he will go weeks. To put it in perspective he has had the same tube of Aquafresh cinnamon flavored tooth paste for 3 years now! I check it to gauge progress but there usually isn’t any. I have hinted that bacteria can get in to his blood stream and could affect his heart but to no avail. Some days are horrible when he kisses me! Love him to deathbed I don’t understand this behavior.