How often do you floss your teeth?

Lavabe · Post by **Lavabe** » December 3rd, 2010, 3:02 pm

And we're not talking about GUILT-flossing (flossing before you have to visit the dentist).

Lavabe · Post by **Lavabe** » December 3rd, 2010, 3:03 pm

You can view this thread as a response to "THE WORST THING TO GET STUCK IN YOUR TEETH" thread. ;)

CathyCA · Post by **CathyCA** » December 3rd, 2010, 3:33 pm

I have a water pik, and I try to use it daily. My periodontist allows me to water pik in lieu of flossing. It does the same trick.

DukeUsul · Post by **DukeUsul** » December 3rd, 2010, 4:01 pm

The frequency of my flossing is inversely proportional to the number of days since I was last scolded by my hygienist.

CathyCA · Post by **CathyCA** » December 3rd, 2010, 4:06 pm

DukeUsul wrote:The frequency of my flossing is inversely proportional to the number of days since I was last scolded by my hygienist.

I think they must teach a class in dental hygiene school on "Floss Bitching."

Lavabe · Post by **Lavabe** » December 3rd, 2010, 6:33 pm

DukeUsul wrote:The frequency of my flossing is inversely proportional to the number of days since I was last scolded by my hygienist.

Are you a guilt-flosser? ;)

captmojo · Post by **captmojo** » December 3rd, 2010, 6:56 pm

I might be movin' to Montana soon
Just a' raisin' me up a crop of...dental floss.
Raisin' it up.
Waxin' it down.
In a little white box that I can
Sell in town.

Zappa

Post by **YmoBeThere** » December 3rd, 2010, 7:19 pm

Twice a week wasn't a choice. No more, no less.

DukeUsul · Post by **DukeUsul** » December 3rd, 2010, 8:02 pm

Lavabe wrote:
DukeUsul wrote:The frequency of my flossing is inversely proportional to the number of days since I was last scolded by my hygienist.
Are you a guilt-flosser? ;)

If I were to plot it out, I bet it would be roughly sinusoidal with a maximum at the day after the dentist visit (frequency 1/day) and a minimum three months later (frequency 1/week).

lawgrad91 · Post by **lawgrad91** » December 3rd, 2010, 10:25 pm

I keep a bag of those little flossers in the map pocket of my car and floss on my way to work.

When you commute nearly an hour each way, you need something to break up the boredom.

bjornolf · Post by **bjornolf** » December 4th, 2010, 3:42 am

I want to say once a day, but I know there's a day here or there when I forget, so I'm going with several times a week.

They were reading some report on the radio a few months ago saying that flossing regularly (more than once per day) can lengthen your life by several years, all things being equal. Apparently, as the food rots between your teeth, it releases tiny amounts of toxins that your gums absorb into your bloodstream, and slowly, over decades, these will shorten your life.

devildeac · Post by **devildeac** » December 4th, 2010, 6:38 am

Daily. Without fail.

Very Duke Blue · Post by **Very Duke Blue** » December 4th, 2010, 9:07 am

At least once a day. Most days, twice.

DukeUsul · Post by **DukeUsul** » December 4th, 2010, 5:08 pm

bjornolf wrote:I want to say once a day, but I know there's a day here or there when I forget, so I'm going with several times a week.

They were reading some report on the radio a few months ago saying that flossing regularly (more than once per day) can lengthen your life by several years, all things being equal. Apparently, as the food rots between your teeth, it releases tiny amounts of toxins that your gums absorb into your bloodstream, and slowly, over decades, these will shorten your life.

I wonder how well that study was controlled. It's not inconceivable that if you are conscientious about flossing, you're probably conscientious about a bunch of other things that also affect longevity. I wonder how well they accounted for that.