Sidebar #71 - Is Costa Rica one of the most hygienic countries on Earth?

One thing that really stands out to me about Costa Rica and Ticos is how clean and hygienic of a society it is, particularly compared to other countries I’ve traveled to around the world, including the US. One major difference between Costa Rica and the United States is that pretty much everyone here brings their toothbrush and toothpaste EVERYWHERE. They brush their teeth after every single meal, snack, and coffee. Every student at my escuela and my colegio also brings their toiletries to school. Although American dentists would probably recommend the same practice, I seldom see Americans following through with that like Ticos do. Additionally, most Ticos I know are constantly cleaning their homes and workspaces to an almost pristine level. I generally think I do a decent job of keeping my living areas neat; however, I know that it wouldn’t be close to my host mom’s standards. At least once a week my host family does a deep clean of the house and it's always spotless. The standard for hygiene and cleanliness here is remarkably high, and it's one of the reasons Costa Rica is such a comfortable and attractive destination to live in. 

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