And now for something completely boring - Dental Floss

[UncleBeer]

Waxed or Unwaxed. If you use waxed floss, is it flavored with minty goodness, or does it taste like a cheap birthday candle?

Myself, I prefer the waxed variety for one simple reason. When the strand breaks or frays, you don't have to dig the fibers from between your teeth.

My floss is also unflavored. The mint flavor tastes to me like the US Postal Service's idea of mint. And we all know what postage stamps taste like.

Christ, I must be getting old. We have surveys on the number of sex acts committed in a single day and I'm worried about my gums. That's just sad.

[Commander Fortune]

In the film "Prelude to a Kiss", Alec Baldwin's character asks the old man, having been returned to his own body from that of Meg Ryan's, what he would have done differently if he had his life to live over. The old man replies, "I would have flossed."

Waxed with Cinnamon Flavor...

[ReservoirDog]

When the strand breaks or frays, you don't have to dig the fibers from between your teeth.

Yeah, it's irritating. But don't you just really appreciate the irony?

[aenea]

With my dental problems, flossing is an important thing to me. ;)

I use the new 'superfloss'. It's pretty cool, and cleans really well due to the unique texture it has.

I carry regular floss in my truck, waxed mint, for after lunch.

[stuyguy]

(Unbelievable! I was thinking of posting a Q about dental floss just yesterday myself. Great minds...)

I'm not generally brand loyal about most products, but don't stand between me and my Butler brand, fine, unwaxed dental floss. Nothing beats it, in my opinion; if you've got tight spaces between your teeth, like me, J&J and most other brands seem like clothesline compared to Butler fine.

Consumer Reports gave it a pretty low rating a couple of years back because it wasn't as strong as other brands, but it's strong enough to do the job, so don't let that stop you.

Only two problems: 1. it's hard to find, at least here in NYC, and 2. the 200 yd. package comes in this white egg-shaped dispenser that becomes USELESS when you're down to the last 1/4 of the spool... the spool won't spin freely to let out the floss, so you've got to open the egg up. Argh.

As for waxed vs unwaxed: I never use waxed. Waxed floss seems like it polishes over the plaque, instead of scraping it off.

I'll shut up now and give someone else a chance.

[JavaMaven1]

Due to my current lack of a dental plan, I'm a daily flosser. I like Glide floss, because it's more like a tape instead of twine--it gets between the tight spaces. I prefer the waxed, for the same reason mentioned above.

[Al Phosgene]

Dental floss is a crock.

My teeth are overcrowded as it is, and the DDS always wants to remove one, but can't decide which. If I put extra spaces between my teeth by flossing, my I'd choke on my wisdom teeth.

I only have had two cavities, both top center of the tooth.

I have perfect gums, but all dentists' gums look goofy because they floss so much. Their teeth stick up like they're a row of pegs.

I do use Plax, though, to get at the cracks, but I hope the main sides of the teeth wedge together into one big combo tooth on each side, like elephant teeth.

I also want huge long tusks, but that's just a dream with my bad back.

[gobear]

I'm going to Montana soon, gonna be a dental floss tycoon

[RTFirefly]

Dammit, goboy, I wanted to be the first to say that here! :)

Glide floss is my preference - slides in and out from between your teeth easier than the regular stuff.

Although I'll have to check out this 'superfloss'.

[Gazelle]

Oral B, Waxed, Minty-bo-binty.

I'm so proud. I finally figured a way to get flossing in my routine and I've been doing it since my last check-up in January.

[Ukulele Ike]

Unc, you started a thread on dental floss? Did you lose a bet or something?

Glide, waxed, unflavored.

[UncleBeer]

The topic today,
Is dental floss.
I made no bet,
I have no loss.

Burma Shave.

Sorry man, I hadda do it.

[sailor]

Al Phosgene, dental floss is a crock? It causes receding gums? Oh my!

gums recede with age due to gum disease and bone loss. Regular flossing will prevent that. You need to get better information about dental care.

[UncleBeer]

Or just get it over with and buy the dentures now. At least you can scare the little kids when you pop 'em out.

[capybara]

SOAPBOX/
Brothers and sisters,
I once thought I'd found the Truth, but the Truth was a lie, the dental antifloss, and now I have seen the True Light. You see, when I was a young and foolish girl, I went astray, and discovered Glide tape. I was excited, I was convinced. Now, though, I have been shown the way. Glide is a wolf in sheep's clothing-- it gets in and out easily, but is that The Point? Now I have found woven, unwaxed floss-- it scrapes that stuff right out. For some reason the stuff I use also does not shred (some shredding I think is caused by the "sawing motion" approach to flossing, back and forth rather than up and down, which is the method we initiates use).
/SOAPBOX

[Odieman]

Johnson and Johnson Mint floss. It's waxed, which helps me because I have irregularly spaced gaps between my teeth.

At my last dentists visit I watched a DVD-ROM on how to floss your teeth and I found out I'd been doing it wrong for years.
Keith

[Czarcasm]

This is what happens when a Moderator steps out of his forum and attempts to start a thread here. Dental floss??? I've got great threads on chocolate, rock and roll and sex, and you start a thread in my forum about DENTAL FLOSS?? My ghod, that barely qualifies for MPSIMS!

Now, if you care to start a thread about sex AND chocolate and it's influence on rock and roll... :)

[Arnold Winkelried]

Well I for one applaud UncleBeer for having the courage to come out and talk about a subject obviously very near and dear to his heart. Maybe if we had more threads about dental floss and less threads about "wanker sauce" we would have Martha Stewart and Disney advertising here.

And my floss views coincide exactly with those of UncleBeer. Un pour tous, et tous pour un!

[Smeghead]

I'm not generally brand loyal about most products, but don't stand between me and my Butler brand, fine, unwaxed dental floss. Nothing beats it, in my opinion; if you've got tight spaces between your teeth, like me, J&J and most other brands seem like clothesline compared to Butler fine.

Consumer Reports gave it a pretty low rating a couple of years back because it wasn't as strong as other brands, but it's strong enough to do the job, so don't let that stop you.


Whew!! Thanks. Ain't nothin' worries me more than the Consumer Report on my floss!

My view on flossing was best expressed by the comedian Mitch Hedberg (I think??): "People say I don't know how hard it is to stop smoking. Yes I do. It's the same as trying to start flossing. 'Man, you're looking jittery.' 'Yeah, I'm about to go floss.'"
I hate it.

[Persephone]

At my last dentists visit I watched a DVD-ROM on how to floss your teeth and I found out I'd been doing it wrong for years.

How to floss....on DVD? Flossing is important, sure, but....DVD? Did it have SurroundSound too?

Plain waxed for me, when I remember. Of course, my dentist thinks I always remember.

[lee]

Satin floss, and make mine mint!

It is flat like glide floss but better. It is a bit sweet as well as minty. The sweetner on it seems to provide a bit of texture and it helps get the bits of stuff from out from between the teeth better than glide floss.

I am addicted, I now floss daily sometimes twice daily.

[Ukulele Ike]

Oh Good Heavens Above, there IS a thread on "wanker sauce!" Jesus, I thought Arnold was making a witticism!

"Wanker sauce!" I'm goin' back to MPSIMS.

[dropzone]

Ultrafloss. It looks like yarn out of the container, all loose and springy. Pull it tight and you can get it between the tightest teeth--much better than the waxed and tape flosses. Once it's between and in the looser area by your gums, release it and pul it through with one hand. This stuff will remove crap your hygenist leaves behind! And it tickles, too! Beats pain.

Then there's my hygenist. Blonde, willowy,....

[Alpha]

I can't get the unwaxed kind between my teeth.
And I can't take flavorings in the morning. I use a non-mint, non-menthol, non-cinnamon toothpaste, which is hard to find. I don't like any of the above flavors with my morning coffee. Now if they had hazelnut floss, I migh try it.

[Anti Pro]

Dental floss is a crock.


YUCK!!

J&J's Gentle floss with flouride ( probably ALSO a crock ) I even put the Sensodyne toothpaste ON the floss, and reapply a dab every few teeth. Brush, Listerine and Act for extra flouride finishes the whole deal. :D

[Lost in Space-Time]

This has to be the dumbest idea for a thread on the whole board.
Excuse me, but it just is.

[Anti Pro]

And you felt somehow compelled to inform of us of that, how kind of you. :p

[TVeblen]

Ultrafloss is great; otherwise Glide, waxed, plain.

My teeth are set together very tightly, so it's hard to squiggle unwaxed floss between them.

I don't care much one way or the other about flavor, save I hate the taste of cinnamon.

Hey, Unc, don't sweat it. Elsewhere aha is giving step by step details of his bathing routine. So buck up, big guy. What's the best beer to gargle with?

Veb

[capybara]

Speaking of gargling with beer and dental habits... (HIJACK/)
Setting: I am a younger tyke (25-ish) and unfamiliar with many flavourings and spices, I engage in a bender at a friend's house that centers first around ouzo, then flaming samboucas. Mistakes are made. By 2:00 AM it becomes apparent that I shant return to my own home that night due to an overindulgence and frankly I feel very very queasy. I can no longer BEAR the sight, smell, or concept of ouzo, anise, etc. However, being truly anal retentive about my dental hygiene, regardless of my state I MUST always brush my teeth before bed (and also due to this I pack my own toothbrush to such events). So I stagger up to the house bathroom and search for toothpaste. Of course I innocently find (drum roll) in this progressive household only Tom's of Maine FENNEL toothpaste and proceed. . . (/HIJACK)

[Czarcasm]

First person to come up with 10 other uses for dental floss gets knighted.
Extra points for originality! :)

[Omniscient]

10) Medevial Torture Device
9) Cooking Twine
8) Cartoon Character
7) Flea Circus Equipment
6) Sex Toy
5) College Snack (flavored only)
4) Fishing Line
3) X-mas Tinsel
2) Survivalist Equipment
1) Women's Lingerie

Me, I never floss, I hate it and I have never had a cavity. Dentist never mentions I should start. I think its a total crock, if it makes you bleed, you probably shouldn't do it.

[TVeblen]

Actually dental floss is the absolute best thing to re-string pearls, etc. and if unflavored can be used quite effectivley to bind poultry before cooking.

And in a pinch, it can be used to sew stuff when you're camping and you don't really want to fray out the hem of your flannel shirt for thread.

Just thought I'd mention that,
Veb

[Czarcasm]

I dub thee Sir Omniscient, Defender of the IMHO!

[rowrrbazzle]

If you break a shoelace and don't have a replacement, dental floss can be used temporarily.

[UncleBeer]

Apparently it can be used to bore the trolls, too.

[capacitor]

Dental floss gets really exciting when one wraps it around another person's neck, hold both ends in a cross-armed and then pull back real hard. Or when it is used instead of a g-string. See, I found non-boring uses for it. Not that I advocate it though.

[JavaMaven1]

We kids here at culinary school found a new use for unflavored, unwaxed dental floss.

It cuts cheesecake like you wouldn't believe. Wonder how a restaurant cuts their cheesecake slices perfectly, but when you go home, it always sticks to your knife? You take a length of floss, pull it taut, and press it through the cake. Once you get down to the crust, let go of one end, and drag it through.

Amazing. I'm paying $30K to cut cheesecake.

[ricepad]

Actually, I use a straight pubic hair...

[Boris B]

Is it important to rotate the part of the floss that actually goes between each tooth? The dental hygenist sometimes flosses my teeth, and she always unwinds a little from one finger and winds it around the other one, so a fresh section of floss actually takes the plunge. I also had a girlfriend who said that it was important to do this, or you'd move bacteria from one tooth-gap to the next.

On the other hand, in a spitty environment like your mouth, it seems like bacteria would move around pretty freely. How about those little "sabre" things, where it's a plastic toothpick with a little section of loss on the hook end? Are you supposed a different sabre for each tooth-gap?

Help!