I have been married to a dentist for nearly 13 years and I only started flossing regularly about 2 years ago. GASP! I’ve flossed on and off my entire adult life, yet I just couldn’t get into a new daily habit with it.
Get Your Floss On!
I was always too rushed in the morning or too eager to get on with something exciting, like breakfast or email.
Then I woke up and imagined my life in dentures and knew that I’d go anything to keep my real teeth for as long as possible. Dentures have come a long way, but nothing…I repeat, nothing…can equal the real deal.
I don’t think I need to convince you of the benefits of flossing. If you don’t already know, there are so many more health benefits than for just those of the mouth. Click on the image below to read it at a larger scale:
Mouth Health
Still, I don’t think knowing the health benefits are what’s keeping you from flossing. It’s the challenge of starting, integrating and maintaining a new habit. Here are some great tips from a guy who has made a living off creating new & improved habits:
5 Steps to Create a New Habit
The Four Habits that Form Habits
Habit Mastery: Creating the New Normal
The Habit Change Cheatsheet: 29 Ways to Successfully Ingrain a Behavior
Sticking to a Habit: The Definitive Guide
How to Stick to a Habit When Life Falls Apart
I encourage you to set a goal for yourself to get into the daily flossing habit, if you’re not already, for the benefit & health of your entire body. Plus your breath will stink less, your teeth will look cleaner and you’ll become intimate with the state of your teeth (chips, sensitivities, discolorations, etc.). That’s a good thing!
Know How to Floss
Don’t tell your hygienist about your new habit when you go in for your next cleaning and see if s/he says anything. Bring into practice the cheapest way to whiten your teeth and really surprise the hygienist.
And I’ll bet, if you can pull this off, you’ll show yourself that you can incorporate ANY new habit that you’d like to bring into your life, whether it be eat differently, exercise more, get to bed earlier, read more…or whatever your life is craving, needing or demanding.
Do you floss? Tell me your tricks for sticking with it in the comments below. What’s your favorite brand of floss? Do you like “flavored” flosses?
Fishy Floss
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Seriously though. I feel like that walrus if I don’t floss.
Optimal Dental recently posted..Neutralizing Bad Breath on the Fly
Oh my. I floss 3x per day, after every meal, and then use my hydrofloss at night. I didn’t floss for years and wound up with periodontal disease. Not fun! Now I’m a maniac about my oral health. I had a great procedure done called LANAP (laser assisted new attachment procedure). Traveled 400 miles to a specialist to have it done. Let me tell you… Flossing is MUCH cheaper and easier to do!!! Take care of your teeth people. They are precious and the only ones you have. P.S. I also use Thieves oil on my gums. Bacteria do not DARE set up house in my gums EVER again! 🙂
Thank you Helyn! What a great warning for the non-flossers out there. It’s really so easy to do and a great habit to develop. It makes a huge difference in oral health. Glad to read that you’ve got a committed routine for yourself now. I appreciate you taking the time to read and comment!
I dont floss, however this made me think again. Will read more of your posts!
Gab recently posted..Clean Your Teeth With Food
Once you get in the habit, you’ll wonder why you haven’t been doing it all along. Thanks for taking the time to read and comment Gab!
Hi thanks for your warning for non-flossers. I floss my teeth only 1 time a day. Is it necessary to floss more time than it a day. I will be very happy if you give my answer.
Ajit Das recently posted..Links Between Heart Disease and Periodontal Disease
I think it depends on what you eat. If you eat a clean plant-based diet with no added sugar, you’ll probably do fine with 1 floss per day. If you eat a lot of sugar, a 2nd floss is smart with extra brushing. If you feel food stuck in your teeth, floss.