At every dental checkup you get from a dentist in Utah, you are likely to be queried about how often you floss your teeth. If you're like 50-98 percent of surveyed adults in the population (depending on the survey), you'll respond in such a way as to provoke a friendly reprimand from your dentist.

Dental floss existed as far back as 1815. It's readily been available since 1882, but it didn't start catching on until the late 1940s. Amazing, isn't it, how 127 years of accessibility, added to three decades or more of the "Dentist-Politely-Reprimands-The-Patients Program," has not resulted in the effective, habitual, and consistent dental-floss use by the majority of the public. It's very curious. Myself, as a child, I easily formed a multiple-times-per-day tooth-brushing habit. On the other hand, as an adult, I've not found it so easy to do the same with flossing.

Long ago I was convinced, intellectually and theoretically, that flossing equals brushing in importance-that a brush cleans the front, back, and biting surfaces of our teeth, while floss gets the particles of food and the plaque from under our gums and between our teeth. I've believed that plaque contributes to cavities, bad breath, and gum diseases, and now, it seems, to heart attacks. Gum-disease patients are three times more likely to have a heart attack! I have perceived flossing to be inexpensive and faster and easier than brushing for the minimum two minutes that is recommended. So, with all of my pro-flossing sentiment, you might wonder why I'm not as dedicated to my flossing as I have been to my brushing.

One problematic thing is that I've mentally lumped flossing into a category with other desired but neglected habits of my over-extended life. While at my third orthodontist appointment, he told me that most of his patients totally neglect to floss under their braces. I had been doing a good job, out of fear, up until that time. But then I got remarkably lazy. I rationalized that if other patients ended up okay, then I would too, and that my busyness was a valid reason to not find time. I have, however, utilized many habit-strengthening techniques for many years in an effort to floss regularly: I reminded myself in numerous ways and crossed off my successful efforts from my to-do lists, and I stocked my favorite flosses (waxed, unflavored, and thin) everywhere I could possibly use them. I increased my flossing frequency because of my improved diet that had more home-cooked proteins to stick between my teeth. Yet, I'm still not as regular as I and my dentist wish me to be.

What I've yet to try is habitually flossing first and brushing second, as recommended. Also, in practice, I haven't perceived flossing and brushing as equals-but only in theory. And I've neglected to place floss threaders everywhere I might need them for cleaning under my bridge. But, with these improvements, I think I'm ready for total-flosser status, eliminating those inevitable friendly reprimands from my Utah dentist.