Doing my teeth

This is the routine I use to brush my teeth every evening before I go to bed:

Squeeze the toothpaste on my brush, put it in mouth

Start brushing my teeth on top right, outside, inside then in between

Then top left

Then top front

Then brush on bottom right, outside, inside then in between

Then bottom left

Then bottom front

Spit out the toothpaste

Put brush under running cold water and suck out water into mouth eight times

Spit out all water

Wet hands under running water and rub over face

Spit out any last water from mouth

Dry face on towel

I started this routine straight after I was released from hospital after my TBI in 2008. I remember going to see my clinical psychologist when I was home in Glasgow in 2010. I told her this routine and she suggested before the next time I saw her, to alter the number of times I suck water from the brush from six times to eight times.

The next week I confirmed that I had happily done that and she explained how she was checking it was something that I’m willing to and able to change.

I have kept that number at eight times ever since!