I apparently put Americans to shame...

rpic81

...because I don't floss every day. I know I should, but I don't. I don't even have a good excuse.

I went to the hygenist today and she asked me if I floss daily. I said, honestly, no. She was shocked. "And you're American!"

I feel like I've let my people down. (Hangs head in shame.) 

Avion22

I don't floss daily either, but I use an electric toothbrush (the sonic kind) and dentists are always telling me how clean my teeth are and the good condition of my gums.

 I went to my first RAF dentist a few weeks ago and he made a comment about how Americans generally have MUCH better oral hygiene than Brits, and that I had the cleanest teeth he'd seen in a long time.  I consider what I do (brush daily) to be a bare MINIMUM.  It kind of skeeved me out a little bit to think that I work with people who might not brush their teeth every day. 

rpic81

Avion22:

I consider what I do (brush daily) to be a bare MINIMUM.  It kind of skeeved me out a little bit to think that I work with people who might not brush their teeth every day. 

Or who maybe only brush once a day. Blech. I go to a private dentist so I'm guessing the state of the teeth he sees are better than those of the general British population. 

oneslybookworm

I don't floss daily either.  I do use a Phillips Sonicare and my dentist says my teeth are great.  I've never flossed daily and I've never had a cavity in my life.  I think some people are just naturally given good teeth. 

That said...I probably brush 3 times daily, at a minimum.

jldittber

I floss every other day and brush a good 6 to 8 times a day. I'm crazy with teeth brushing. 

My DH on the other hand I have to "remind" to do both. Gross! LOL

azure_azure

oneslybookworm:

I don't floss daily either.  I do use a Phillips Sonicare and my dentist says my teeth are great.  I've never flossed daily and I've never had a cavity in my life.  I think some people are just naturally given good teeth. 

This is me too, but I just brush twice a day generally. 

LadyMadrid08

I rarely floss because I never remember.  I do brush my teeth twice daily though.  

I should floss more often, but I don't think daily flossing is actually that common--or maybe I'm just gross.  Haha! 

myblueangel19

I usually floss every day, but mostly because I feel guilty if I don't. I know it doesn't make sense, but because I know I am supposed to floss, I get all guilty feeling if I don't do it. Sometimes I rebel against the system and refuse to floss out of spite.

wise_rita

I don't floss, I use these dental toothpicks every day instead:

Sorry for the huge pic.

The dentist in Norway recommended them since they're quicker and more effective (they get right down by the gum) than flossing.  The hygenist in Scotland didn't recommend them because they're hard on the gums.  In this instance:

Norway > Scotland

 

MintChocoChip

I used to floss regularly but I got lazy.  I do brush 2x a day though, often with an electric toothbrush.

Chin up, tarter mouth, there are more American non-flossers than you realize!  

BelgianBells

I brush my teeth 2x daily, sometimes more if I feel the need. I try to floss often, but I do forget. Right now we are finshing off a huge bag of the floss pick things we got in our stockings - probably last year? My favorite is mint flavored floss though

rpic81

MintChocoChip:

Chin up, tarter mouth, there are more American non-flossers than you realize!  

Ha! Glad I'm not alone. 

I used to have a sonicare toothbrush before we moved overseas and I loved it. I'm sad I can't use it over here. Plus, there are no outlets in the bathroom to charge it! Damn UK. 

Avion22

rpic81:

MintChocoChip:

Chin up, tarter mouth, there are more American non-flossers than you realize!  

Ha! Glad I'm not alone. 

I used to have a sonicare toothbrush before we moved overseas and I loved it. I'm sad I can't use it over here. Plus, there are no outlets in the bathroom to charge it! Damn UK. 

 

Uh, I charge my Sonicare here:-)  I know you're not supposed to, but I can fit my US-sized plug into the "shavers only" outlet in the bathroom, and my toothbrush charger can take up to 240 volts, so it works fine.     If nothing else, you could use a UK-US plug converter and plug the charger into any outlet in your house (just get the charger out when your toothbrush dies and leave it on the charger overnight). 

VABeach08

I never used to floss.  Then my dentist to terrible things to me (scaling)... too much build up (yuck) w/ just brushing.  So a joined the faithful ranks of the flossers!

Although, when I travel, I sometimes drop it just b/c... no real logic.

Val

I don't floss either, I just can't do it without ramming the floss up my gum & hurting myself. I use toothpick thingies like Rita pip'ed.

AmericanInOz

Avion22:

rpic81:

MintChocoChip:

Chin up, tarter mouth, there are more American non-flossers than you realize!  

Ha! Glad I'm not alone. 

I used to have a sonicare toothbrush before we moved overseas and I loved it. I'm sad I can't use it over here. Plus, there are no outlets in the bathroom to charge it! Damn UK. 

Uh, I charge my Sonicare here:-)  I know you're not supposed to, but I can fit my US-sized plug into the "shavers only" outlet in the bathroom, and my toothbrush charger can take up to 240 volts, so it works fine.     If nothing else, you could use a UK-US plug converter and plug the charger into any outlet in your house (just get the charger out when your toothbrush dies and leave it on the charger overnight). 

yea I used to plug all sorts of US appliances into that shaver only outlet in the UK & it totally worked