Do you have good hand washing habits? And how do you know your hands are really clean? Obviously, it’s an important issue at our dental office in Little Falls. We wash our hands all the time! We’d like to pass a few tips on to you about keeping your hands clean.

If You’ve Got 20 Seconds…

That’s all it takes to do a thorough job of hand washing, if you follow these steps:

• Wet your hands with clean running water (warm or cold) and apply soap.
• Rub your hands together to make a lather and scrub them well; be sure to scrub the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
• Continue rubbing your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.
• Rinse your hands well under running water.
• Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry.

When Should You Wash?

If you’re cooking, it’s good to wash before, during and after working with food. Any time you’re caring for someone with a cold, or with a cut or wound, or after sneezing and coughing. And of course, after using the toilet and after changing a diaper or helping a child in the bathroom. If in doubt, just wash!

Of course we wash our hands and wear gloves and masks. But at Gregory S. Liss, DDS, we do much more to make sure our dental office is clean and sterile for you. If you’d like to know more about it, just ask us during your next visit! Call us at our Little Falls dental office at 973-256-5001. I know I said this in my last blog on oral cancer, but it’s worth repeating: Prevention is your key to a lifetime of health and well being! Hand washing is a good start!