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Like many people, I'll admit that I don't floss as often as I should. And now I’m trying to start a flossing routine.
Calling names like lazy or gross doesn't help here.
Let’s try a tiny behavior change that’ll make you smile.
To floss, you need floss. So what kind do you have?
Some people use string floss, the kind you wrap around your index finger and wedge fingers in your mouth.
I started on disposable plastic flossers, that come in everything from stylish charcoal black and not-so-bad for the environment to buy-in-bulk family packs with hundreds of the things for cheap.
Only after my last visit to an Aspen Dental location in Central Michigan, I began my self care quest to floss more regularly. It’s because I became equipped with a full-length flosser that day.
Don’t call yourself names before you get the equipment you need to floss! I’m doing well with the full-length flosser.
Putting my floss in a dedicated place worked wonders for me.
Allocating a dedicated space for a specific purpose, ensuring they fit seamlessly into your daily routine.
The solution I’m proposing to you now can be applies to any type of floss.
Finger floss? Single-use disposable flossers? Full-length replaceable head flossers? All good!
Try this to overcome inconsistent flossing. It’s not about which type of floss you prefer…
You want to keep your floss where it’s convenient and enjoyable for you to floss.
Bring floss to the office, keep it next to your computer, or next to the TV where you spend the afternoon.
Or if you have multiple bathrooms in your home, keep floss in the bathroom you use most during the daytime.
I can do toothbrushing followed by mouthwash. I do every morning.
But doing toothbrushing, then flossing, then mouthwash is too much responsibility for one morning routine.
So I postpone flossing then mouthwash until later in the day when I feel like flossing.
For a person striving to maintain a flossing habit, you can floss without brushing, and you can floss without mouthwash - so floss any time you like.
I prefer the full-sized flosser because it’s the easiest way to floss, and I’ve tried all the most common types of floss: string, disposable, full-length.
The full-sized flosser is the best for convenience of use, and I posit it’s the most effective for the average person to self-administer in-between oral health.
You learn to like the flosser and keep it handy, because it’s something you enjoy - like chewing gum, picking a toothpick, or a fresh taste of mint.
Sometimes I listen to music or read articles while flossing. My gums have good taste.
I feel good about myself when I floss.
Using a flosser works into my daytime routine quite well. While flossing, I can do other enjoyable things to make the process even more convenient.
Action inspires action. The more I remember to floss, the more I naturally do mouthwash too. It’s a virtuous cycle of brushing, flossing, and mouth washing - which is the generally dentist recommended trifecta of pearly whites.
The last time I visited an Aspen Dental location in Central Michigan, I was instructed by my dentist to prevent periodontic (gum disease) by taking the following steps:
I had a good visit to Aspen Dental. They didn’t guilt trip my for years of subpar oral hygiene. After 3 weeks between two scheduled visits, they got me out the door with a better looking smile and all the equipment and instructions I needed to maintain oral habits (brush, floss, rinse) after my visit.
My dentist at Aspen Dental gave me one last tip.
Eat before you do your oral hygiene routine, not after. And don’t rinse with water after using mouthwash. Let the mouthwash absorb into your gums for a deeper clean.
