Hi everyone!
It’s been documented far and wide. Dental floss is not only incredibly strong and useful, but campers, survivalists and even artists claim it’s their number one go-to trick when they’re in a pinch. In 1997, a nurse vacationing in the Bahamas saved a friend’s life by tying off the severed blood vessels of his arm with dental floss after a shark attack. As a dentist, I admit I’d rather see patients use floss for its intended purpose. On the other hand, I’m actually blown away by the creative ways people are channeling their inner MacGyver and Martha Stewart with dental floss. If you want to survive a pending zombie apocalypse, or just tackle the honey-do list for your home, check out how dental floss can come in handy.
Floss Use in Camping and Survival Training
Weighing less than half an ounce, campers can easily stash both the waxed and unwaxed varieties in their backpack without a problem. So make Bear Grylls proud, pack it in your camping kit for your next trip.
- In a pinch, unwaxed floss and a sterile needle can stitch a wound until you reach an emergency room.
- Use dental floss as virtually unbreakable thread for clothing repairs. I personally have used it for sewing on buttons when traveling.
- Make a fishing pole with floss and a sturdy branch to catch small to medium size fish.
- Stitch busted fishing nets.
- Use floss to tie sturdy sticks together for an impromptu tent or tarp.
- Tie down a tent or tarp with dental floss.
- If you’ve run out of rope, braid a few strands of dental floss to create a crude version.
- Use unwaxed floss as boot or shoe strings.
- Use it to fix the broken mesh windows of your tent, or bag.
- Dental floss can be hoisted to create a quick clothes line.
- Keep food off the ground by hanging it with dental floss to get items out of the way of hungry scavengers and insects.
- Use it to cut through soft food like bread.
- Use waxed dental floss as a fire starter.
- Use dental floss as a ponytail holder.
Helpful Home Uses for Floss
Besides keeping your teeth clean, there’s nothing more useful than dental floss around the house.
- Use unwaxed dental floss to hang pictures. Unlike wires, it will keep the paint on your walls scratch-free.
- Use dental floss to stitch playpens, laundry bags, knapsacks, beach bags or any other heavy material.
- In the garden, use dental floss to suspend tomato vines as they grow when tied between two stakes. It also works for other climbing vine vegetable plants like string beans and peas.
- Dental floss is strong. Use it to stitch a button on-the-fly as I have.
- Leaky faucet keeping you up at night? Use dental floss to seal it around the threaded cap leaving the string to slowly drip water directly down the drain until you can call a plumber.
- Separate old photos from photo albums without tearing them by gently sliding dental floss between the photo and the album page.
- Clean narrow nooks and crannies, like that computer keyboard, with floss. Try using floss to clean between stovetops and counter spaces.
- Accidently break a necklace or bracelet, use dental floss to hold or sting it together until you can get it repaired at a jeweler.
- Use dental floss to hang small ornaments, sun catchers or wind chimes outside.
- Use floss like a knife, and cut that birthday cake or cheese into nice even slices.
- Out of cooking twine? Use unwaxed floss to tie meats and chicken before grilling or roasting.
- Discover nail art using dental flossers.
- Keep cookies from crumbling by running unwaxed floss under them to keep them together.
- Use unwaxed dental floss as guitar strings. I haven’t tried this yet but this could come in very handy when on vacation with my Little Martin Traveler!
- Create Christmas garland for the tree or staircase banister from waxed dental floss.
- Floss your teeth EVERY DAY to keep gum disease and bad breath away!
Not only is dental floss as useful as duct tape around the home, it’s already the most useful tool you have against dental disease. It is the best way to avoid bad breath, and with continued use, keep serious dental procedures to a minimum. Unfortunately, only 50 percent of Americans floss regularly. But it doesn’t have to be that way. At Dr. Mark Langberg, DDS, MAGD, we’re here to help you with all of your dental goals. We can show you the latest methods to brush and floss so that you’ll be wearing your best smile every day for the rest of your life! Experience a friendly, stress and judgment-free environment with our skilled and dedicated staff. Call today for an examination, free consultation or your next cleaning at 248-356-8790!.
Until Next Time,
Mark W Langberg, DDS, MAGD