One stormy day …

So my dental hygienist has me strapped in the chair, filled my mouth with appliances designed in the Middle Ages and starts poking around with wicked sharp objects prior to “the cleaning”. “Hmmm, haven’t been flossing regularly have we?”, she ponders. After she tires of the scrape and poke cleaning process, she nimbly fingers the floss and strums through my teeth like a harp player, just to show how easy it is. I can’t do that!

I have enough trouble stringing out the floss and wrapping it around a couple of fingers. Then you’re supposed to get that all in your mouth and run around all your tooth surfaces? I haven’t had that many fingers in my mouth since I was an infant. Can’t do it! Won’t do it!

My work around were those toothpick like floss sticks. Given enough time I can get through all the teeth, but still get twisted up with the appliance pointing in one direction while my jaw line seems to be aimed elsewhere. I’m afraid it will get stuck in there and I’ll need professional help to have it removed. Ok, so I’m challenged, but I know I’m not alone in my flossing handicap. There are enough of us with finger/jaw coordination issues that the drug companies see a market opportunity. I’ve tried all the flossing trick sticks that they blister wrap and hang in the oral care shelves. Finally I’ve found one that I can drive!

It’s called the Reach Access Flosser and it is awesome! I’ve been eyeing the product for a while, but frankly didn’t want another flossing failure on my record. My first hurdle was figuring out how to change the little floss clips. I relied on my engineering background to help here (where others might just read the directions). Once my Reach Flosser is loaded, I’m a flossing master. I can now plink through those ivories with the dexterity of a Julliard graduate. A formerly impossible task is now an almost daily routine. I’m less troubled mechanically by the flossing process, but forming good habits is still a challenge for me. Yet, I no longer dread that “… have we been flossing…” question.

Go to the Reach website and check out the character holding out the Flosser for inspection. That’s how the dental industry pictures me? Oh well, I’m thinking about making an early teeth cleaning appointment so I can show off my freshly flossed fixtures. Wait, that’s just plain stupid! I’ll save it for a surprise if I ever go back.

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