When I was young, the dentists came to school to teach us proper oral hygiene, in case our parents hadn’t, I suppose.
(But then why wouldn’t we also have had a class on bottom-wiping? Interesting. I anticipate the toddlers of tomorrow will see a presentation on how to open toilet stall doors with their feet , given how moms of today are so adamant about germs.)
The memorable part of the dental hygiene presentation was when we would brush our teeth, spit, and then chew on the disclosing tablets to reveal our remaining plaque in vivid purple shame.
And what did this teach us? To scrub our teeth.
Did anyone hear a word about floss? I didn’t. Are kids today told about floss in Toddler dental hygiene class? Are they shown how to floss? Is flossing a new trend? I didn’t hear about flossing till the seventies.
When did you hear about flossing? That’s my first question.
Here is why I ask: I’m not usually a flosser. Last time a hygenist tried to floss me I wished her good luck, because my teeth are small and tight. She said she’d be okay, because she’d just used the titanium nut-picker of death to scrape the tartar from between my teeth, so there’d be more room. I remember asking, “So, how can I keep that tartar from building up between my teeth?” and she said,”Floss.”
“If I floss all the tartar away will you have to scrape it off my teeth next time?” AND SHE SAID NO, or that at least it would be much easier. And that flossing also causes weight loss and shiny hair. Well, she could have, I didn’t question her.
Until today at lunch, when the Numbered Friends expressed doubt.
I’ve been flossing daily, and my gums are still accessible. Usually I can’t get the floss in, and then I can’t get it out. I’m thinking I have less plaque and roomier teeth, but perhaps not.
How much of your six-month tooth cleaning is devoted to the Pointy Pick tooth scraping torture device, and, do you floss?
So, two questions: when did you learn about flossing, and does flossing make for an easier cleaning? Leave your responses in the comments, and as always, if the question is too personal you may be anonymous.
19 responses to “Dental Queries”
Hmm…first heard of floss in high school, in the 70’s, so I think you’re onto something there.
As for the torture device, I have found it depends upon the technician. With our ‘family favorite’, it’s a lick and a promise with that thing. There was one tech that we referred to as the plaque nazi – she scraped at you until every tooth in your head was screaming in pain. My kids were terrified of her. Son once described her as being like some hideous dried-up old nun with a plaque scraper instead of a ruler. She retired, thank the gods…
Yep, didn’t hear anything about flossing until the late 70s.
Remember the Water Pik? I still use one.
I am once more on the lookout for a good dental hygienist because the one I loved worked at Dr. Grope’s office.
I seem to recall hearing about flossing as a young adult, I really don’t recall it earlier than that. I floss, but it is out of necessity. I have some gaps into which meat crams itself and has to be manually removed by flossing. I don’t know if that is why the hygienists always remark on how completely un-plaqued my teeth are usually.
I’m a little younger, so I have heard about flossing all my life. and sadly, I don’t floss, mostly because I have felt like it’s a waste of time. I have really good teeth, and have never had a cavity (knock on wood). But the last time I was at the dentist, I was told I had deep pocket gums and would have to have a deep cleaning done. I’ve never had a deep cleaning, but because I haven’t been flossing, my gums are too deep and sensitive, so they have to really dig in there. Which means Novocaine. Also, they can’t do my whole mouth at once, they will have to do half, and then I will have to come back a week later and do the other half.
I remember mom teaching me to floss when I was fairly young (late 70s, early 80s). Sadly, I hated it and it didn’t stick until a rash of cavities in my late teens. Then came the Uninsured Years of my early 20s until my first job with benefits during which I was maniacal about dental hygiene since I couldn’t afford a dentist. Mint floss, and then glide floss made life easier, but it wasn’t until I discovered the plastic picks that come pre-strung with floss that I’ve really been regular about it (2-4 times a week when I’m being good). Right now I’m queueing up for my first cleaning in *coff* years, so I’m flossing like mad and using my electric toothbrush to hopefully minimize any cleaning angst.
I went 9 years without a dentist visit. Why’d I go back? Half a tooth fell out. That was some serious dental denial I was in. At least it was a back tooth, so I don’t look like a hillbilly. Turns out I also had 2 other cavities. The horror.
I floss, but I don’t remember the first time I heard about flossing.
Well, my mom worked for a dentist so I was exposed to flossing early. I don’t floss as regularly as I should – probably weekly instead of daily – even though my teeth are really close to each other. However, there is less scraping at dental visits since I use an Oral B sonic toothbrush daily. It doesn’t get all the buildup, but it definitely helps keep it down to a minimum. I think the lack of flossing knowledge is why people use those disgusting pick-floss things. Essentially spreading plaque from gap to gap instead of using a clean area of floss for each gap. Grosses me out every time my boyfriend gets them out. Gaak!
I also can’t get regular floss in and can’t get it out. (I actually have extra teeth, twinned molars, in a small jaw, so they’re very tight.) I discovered some floss that has a stiff pointy end that you “sew” between the teeth near the gumline, so you you don’t have to force it in and out. But I don’t floss anyway because it seems to cause gum irritation and infection. and yet, I don’t seem to get much plaque between the teeth. It’s mostly on the inside of the front teeth and the outsides of the rear molars.
On the extra teeth, so far we’ve counted seven wisdom teeth. I’ve had three pulled, and they were quickly replaced by new ones that grew in the same place. I guess I’m part elephant. Or shark.
I use the floss pick things when I get sleepy in the car. I suppose that is less gross than nose picking. I have a lot of plaque build up and get the full treatment at every dental visit. I blame genetics.
I floss when I need to prove to my kids that they should floss. Of course, they love to. I find used floss in the weirdest places.Maybe I should floss more though. My cleaning yesterday (which kicked off this conversation) resulted in soreness when I bit on anything the rest of the day.
Mare – My fear is that the current tech will give me a lick and a promise THIS time, and then next time scrape me.Becs – I had a water pik, but I never remembered to turn it off before I’d take it out of my mouth. I gave it to Mom. That didn’t end well.Zayrina – Hmm! So we have a correlation between low plaque and flossing. Shannon – a) My friend Carol never had a cavity until she was THIRTY and then it caught up with her. b) My old dentist said I had deep pockets. New dentist sees no pockets at all. I think there should be a Ralph-Nader-led dental oversight committee. Elisabeth – I have a smallmouth, tiny teeth, and a derformed right hand where there used to be an extra thumb, so I can’t do the mechanics of flossing easily. I use the picks too, the little ones that look like fencing epees.My old dentist did say a lot of people take up flossing a week before the appointment, and all they do is make the gums sore and inflamed. Tami – I didn’t go from age 11 to age 22. MOM said I didn’t have to.Amy in StL – Gary has one of those sonic toothbrushes. maybe I’ll try that. And you make a good point about the pick. What if you rinse the floss pick every couple of teeth? Is that less gross? ~~Silk – The inside of the front teeth – new dentist says that area gets tartar because of the saliva buildup. Something about sugars or acids or something in saliva. And I hope Caroline reads this, her child has an extra tooth. That is fascinating. Especially with the the kidney situationWendy – That’s a good idea. And if they were in the car I’d be more inclined to do it at the end of the day, when they recommend.Caroline – First off, Silk has extra teeth. And that is a strange habit your kids have. If they do something bad so you take their floss away?
Flossing is like sex.
No, not that way. Ew. (I take that “ew” back: no judgment. Whatever you’re into, man, so long as it’s between consenting adults.)
No, flossing is like sex: I always knew about it, I can’t remember a time before I knew about it or when I learned about it, but
A) my parents certainly never instructed me in the specific mechanics of it;
B) I didn’t really grasp the specific mechanics of it until I was actually practicing it;
C) When I was a little kid, I found it odd and slightly hard to believe that people actually did it by choice.
Well now I want to know about the kidney situation.The dentist says it’s wait and see on whether the adult teeth will include a supernumerary. (How do you like that for a big word?) The extra baby tooth is on top and so far she’s only lost bottom teeth.
Elsa – Yes! So well put. Caroline – Here you not gone here?http://thesilkentouch.blogspot.com/2011/05/3240-ok-im-weird.htmlWhen I was young and first ovulating I was convinced I had two wombs. This was of course because someone had told me people with extra thumbs sometimes have extra organs.
a) You can buy blue liquid now that does the same thing as the purple tablets without the distinctive taste.
b) I learned about floss when my mom spent months going though dental hell after she got gingivitus.
c)I floss sometimes. I don’t know if it makes the cleaning easier because I don’t do it often enough to matter. Especially not when my gums are sore from my cleaning, when it would do the most good.
Hey! I had an extra baby tooth and then I was missing two permanent teeth. The ones between your front teeth and canines. Which makes my canines right next to my front teeth. One of my daughters inherited this. Only the missing teeth, not the extra one.
Hot Mom – My father in law had gingivitis hell too. I think the hell is much easier nowadays.Wendy – Pointy Canines? (I have pointy ones. I know other people don’t.) I thought the number and organization of teeth was something inviolate. This is all amazing to me.
I had to have braces because of all tooth confusion. When the braces came off, I went to the dentist to have my teeth cleaned. Unbeknownst to me, the dentist filed my pointy canines down to be even with my other teeth. I understand now that it was probably a good idea, but at the time I was quite angry. I liked the vampire look.
Wendy – I hated my canines, because I was 16 and had no other imperfections beside those teeth and my big thighs. When Mom got divorced she had her canines pulled and caps put on. The caps aged and dimmed at a different rate than her usual teeth, so that was a little odd. Still, I’d be livid if someone changed my body without my permission.