Wednesday, December 17, 2008

Catch-up

I’m flossing with a vengeance these days, trying to make up for the past 5 months of slacking off. This is what happens every time before my 6-month visit to the dentist.

I always leave with clean teeth and a new resolve to be a regular flosser. For years hygienists have volunteered to show me the proper way to floss, as a kind way of noticing that I must not be doing it, or doing it right if I am.

I flossed every day when I had braces for two years. Otherwise, my mouth felt like a garbage can of trapped food. However, since the braces came off, I’ve been a backslider.

But when the reminder card comes about a month prior to my visit, I determine to try to hide my bad habits. You can see the floss I’m using has been around long enough for the Giant label to have partially worn away. That’s embarrassing.

Every night for the next month, I’ll pull off a long piece of floss, expertly wind it around my fingers, and then attack all that pent-up tartar hiding between my teeth and under the edges of my gums.

It will not be the same as doing it daily for the 6-month period, but it may toughen up my gums to the point where they don’t rat me out.

The truth is I really don’t have a good excuse other than pure laziness. But I couldn’t admit that to my hygienist.

Photo looking into my medicine cabinet, which contains lots of mirrors.

10 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

At least you floss diligently for one month out of the six! Good for you. Your overall health is no doubt better for it. The docs keep discovering more and more connections between oral health and other body systems (circulatory, immune, etc.).

- F.

5:48 PM  
Blogger Barbara said...

Anon -- My eco-trained friend who is an acupuncturist reminded me just yesterday of findings that flossing has been linked to heart health. The promise of a healthier heart may make this a year-around endeavor.

6:32 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I was flossing in the ladies room after dinner when a woman came out of the stall area and said "oh...floss" in a longing voice. I offered her some, and she showed me the plasticky looking braces she was wearing--she said she couldn't floss until they came off! Yikes!

7:35 PM  
Blogger edward said...

don't swaloow the floos.

7:36 PM  
Blogger Barbara said...

Other Anon -- We often long for the impossible, even dental floss!

Edward -- I wouldn't dare!

9:19 PM  
Blogger Lemmonex said...

I use one of those things that has a bit of floss on a stick...I am still lazy though. Just less often...

11:27 PM  
Blogger BrioII said...

Take a look at www.gripit.biz to see Gripit Floss Holders if you don't like putting your fingers into your mouth when flossing.

10:58 AM  
Blogger Steve Reed said...

The dirty secret of flossing is that all of us tell our dentists we do it, but no one really does. (At least not as much as we should.)

1:56 PM  
Blogger bulletholes said...

I am a flossing fool. I sit st the TV and floss all the way through movies like "Its a Wonderful Life" and "The Longest Day"
Next year I'm going to try to do "Gone with the Wind".

2:05 PM  
Blogger Barbara said...

Lemmonex, Brioll -- What I really hate about flossing is I have a wire behind my front bottom teeth (since I had braces) and I have to carefully thread the floss under that wire. It's really not so hard, but when I'm tired I tend to want to skip it!

Steve -- I'm so relieved to hear that I'm not the only one who paints a rosier picture than is deserved...

Bulletholes -- You must have six-pack gums by now with all that flossing! I can see you billed as some poster child for flossing...

4:15 PM  

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