Tuesday, September 20, 2005

I'm Bleeding!

For the life of me, I can't seem to get myself to floss on a daily basis. Does anyone truly floss every day? I called my dentist yesterday to reschedule an appointment and realized, shit! I have to start flossing- pronto! Of course, I am not really fooling them am I? They should be able to spot a 2 week rush floss job if they are good at what they do. Maybe I can distract them with my Crest White Strip bright smile and expensive orthodontia? They will be so blinded by my beautiful teeth they will completely forget about my bleeding gums! Hey, a girl can hope. She can also floss 3 times a day for the next 3 weeks and pray to the baby Jesus.

When I called my dentist, the receptionist that answered gave off an incompetent air. Maybe it was the fact that she mumbled or the fact that she had me repeat my name three times. Maybe it was the fact that she named a bunch of other times and when I settled on one that worked, she repeated back to me a totally different time. Um, excuse me receptionist lady, are we having a communication breakdown? Do I really have an appointment on October 11th at 12:00pm? I think I need to call back and hope someone more qualified answers the phone.

If you are a flosser, how DO you motivate yourself to do it? If you aren't a flosser, do you get shit from your dental hygenist when you go for your teeth cleaning? Is there any way around the flossing or is it like exercising- you just HAVE to do it?

11 comments:

Lushy said...

I only schedule with the hygenist who doesn't give me shit about not flossing. I'm an adult. I know I need to floss. They need to get off of my back. I also shouldn't drink so much or eat so many french fries. But I do and I'll shut down anyone who tells me not to.

Mo-Pie said...

You're supposed to floss your teeth once a day?! I thought they busted that myth on that Myth Busters show.

But seriously, I am on the every other week 'plan' for flossing. My wife strongly disagrees with this plan. She's an every nighter.

I think the trick is to just remember the under the gum gingivitis SCRAPER tool! Ouch.

Krisco said...

I'm a daily flosser. I get out of the habit, and then my teeth just feel grungy, and I get back into it. I think it's like exercising; when you don't do it it's hard to get motivated. When you're on the plan, it's just part of what you do.

Of course, I'm not on an exercise plan. I just floss.

k o w said...

I'm seeing my dentist tonight at 5:30 and I completely forgot to floss for the last 5 years. Shit.
I do own a $100 sonicare brush though. Took away the bleeding years ago.

Mo-Pie said...

I always wanted to get one of those sonicare brushes! Do they work wonders?!

I know what I'm asking from Santa this year (I know it's still three months away).

Bill said...

Dental Hygiene tricks and tips:

You freely admit that you never floss. When they respond with shock and tell you should be doing it every day, you say, "You're kidding?" Then you tell them how your last dentist told you flossing was a bad idea, you could hurt your gums. Both you and your dentist agree how shocking it is that professional people are spreading such misinformation ... and so on. Of course, you'll need a new dentist the next time you go. Otherwise on the next visit your dentist will say, "Liar! I never told you that!"

Also, those electric toothbrush things may be a way to go. My dentist got me to switch to one, saying it could help. So far so good, although every night I go to bed feeling disturbed my the image of me in the mirror with a fancy vibrator in my mouth. It just seems wrong.

sue said...

Oh, Bill...now I can't get that image out of MY head...thanks!

I'm a panic flosser, too. Only when I have to go to the dentist or I have something stuck between the teeth. (Maybe you aren't old enough, but it seems the older I get the more things get stuck...?)

My dentist is gentle and never yells. If he did, I'd find another. I'm a grownup. I know I don't do what I'm supposed to. You don't have to scold me. I refuse to be scolded. It just makes me want to go somewhere and hide.

Her Daddy's Eyes said...

Sadly, I foss often...sad because it's usually only the front teeth. My husband laughs and says,"So do you only clean the parts of your body that people can see too?" No, duh! I clean my whole body...geesh...
And yes, they hate me when I get into the chair. I have no room between my teeth and it's hard to get the floss in and out. They're always sucking their teeth at me under their masks. "Hey, I can still hear you, you know!"

~Eyes

kim e said...

I'm crazy about dental hygiene. I'm a flosser, and I admit it. We all go to the dentist every 6 months too.

My uncle has never had a cavity in his life but just recently had to get false teeth (!!) because he got gum disease from never flossing or having his teeth cleaned at the dentist. If dentures aren't a motivator, I don't know what is

Sizzle said...

damn you kim!

dentures sure ARE a motivator.

i am going to floss right this instance.

jemison said...

I'm a sporadic flosser but have been lucky enough to never have a cavity. The only other option I can think of is one of those Water Pic things. Are they even still around?