Do you brush your teeth?

[Daddy Longlegs]

I thought about this last weekend when I forgot to pack my toothpaste.

[Moon Monster]

Just went to the dentist for the first time since my 2003 thru-hike (which ended 8 months ago). I gave up flossing out there, but I brushed once a day every day (many dentists say that's plenty even in the real world). Without flossing, though, mineral deposits from my saliva built up and had to be scraped by the dentist. No big deal, but a dentist visit shortly after finishing would have been a good idea since I went 5 months without flossing.

[flyfisher]

One tidbit I gleaned from "Beyond Backpacking" was the story of Ray's climbing friend who was brushing his teeth in the middle of a climb "because it feels so good."

I tried tucking a cut off toothbrush in my pocket. Even without toothpaste, using it a couple times a day "feels so good." Wacky, but works for me.

[lorac]

I usually brush my teeth 2 times a day when I am backpacking... but I just use baking soda and a few drops of mint extract to be ultralightweight most of the time. Here's an interesting fact I learned, if you cut a little piece of a live branch off of a dogwood tree (the tree with the little pink nubby things that look like flowers from far away but are actually part of the tree) and chew on the end of it a little, it gets all bristly and can be used a few times as a viable toothbrush. It needs to be stored in water though and I don't know as to whether or not dried or downed pieces would work. Though I would not recommend this as a dependable source of hygiene, as it does break the LNT pact, it is interesting to try and a good wilderness survival tactic.
Also, berries, esp. raspberries + blackberries + strawberries are natural tooth whiteners. Don't expect dramatic results or anything, but the more you eat the brighter your smile.
And about flossing, once you get into the habit of it, you'll feel gross without it I think, and if a whole roll of floss is too extravagant to carry, don't forget the many, many, many uses of floss : use with needle to fix clothes/tent/pack, use to lash on additional bottles of liquor that won't fit in your pack, use to make a fishing line, use to make a trip line, use with a piece of litter to make a kite, use as a drawstring if your drawstring should disappear, use as an emeregency bear line (yeah, even I kind of doubt that would work), use to tie back long hair, use to truss a chicken, turkey, or cornish hen (who hasn't gone to truss a cornish hen on a mountain top and forgotten their cooking thread?), use to make a laundry line, use as emergency bootlace, use to mark a page in guidebook, use to keep your spot in your journal/book, use to knit a sweater... ok, many of these might not work at all, especially if you use the flavored kind of floss that attracts bugs and animals, but I hope this list at least amused a few people, some that may have employed floss in in untraditional manner.

See you on the trail-
I'll be the girl with the floss!

love and peace,
loraC

[Jaybird]

Just went to the dentist for the first time since my 2003 thru-hike (which ended 8 months ago). I gave up flossing out there, but I brushed once a day every day (many dentists say that's plenty even in the real world). Without flossing, though, mineral deposits from my saliva built up and had to be scraped by the dentist. No big deal, but a dentist visit shortly after finishing would have been a good idea since I went 5 months without flossing.

i thought we were talking about brushing....you floss too?
wow! next...we'll be hearing about folks taking the family size bottles of listerine along with toothbrush, toothpaste & floss materials....


NOT!

[The Solemates]

I brushed twice a day on the trail, just like off the trail. I never floss, however. And, admittingly, I havent been to the dentist in over 5 years.

[YerbaJon]

Approximately 1/3 of the surface of teeth are not being cleaned if you don't floss, no matter how well you brush!

Many dentists argue that flossing is more important than brushing.
Few to none argue that brushing is more important than flossing.

Floss is a must for healthy teeth. A definate must on the trail if you care at all about your teeth.

[Footslogger]

Guess we need a thread on ultralight dental floss ...

'Slogger

[SGT Rock]

How about just cutting a toothpick in camp. Don't weigh nuthin.

["ME & U"]

I'm telling you guys,man! Listerine pocket packs! 24 strips, 2 x a day= 12 days of brushing! Anybody tried it yet? Never felt cleaner!
ps. I'm with Solemates, Dentists scare the hell out of me! Some sort of repressed childhood nightmare or something. Forgot how long it's been since I visited and I still have my teeth! If you ask me I think it's a scam...

[dougmeredith]

i thought we were talking about brushing....you floss too?

I floss every day, at home or on the trail.

Doug

[The Cheat]

Approximately 1/3 of the surface of teeth are not being cleaned if you don't floss, no matter how well you brush!

Many dentists argue that flossing is more important than brushing.
Few to none argue that brushing is more important than flossing.

Floss is a must for healthy teeth. A definate must on the trail if you care at all about your teeth.

My dentist told me you don't have to floss all your teeth.

Just the wants you want to keep.



p.s. I use Goretex floss, how's that for L33t?

[Footslogger]

[QUOTE=I use Goretex floss, how's that for L33t?[/QUOTE]============================================
Waterproof/Breathable Dental Floss !! ...a must for hikers.

'Slogger
AT 2003

[Tin Man]

I thought dental floss is what we hope to see on a shapely lady at the beach?

btw: What's a dentist?

["ME & U"]

Guess we need a thread on ultralight dental floss ...

'Slogger

My flyfishing shop carries kevlar thread, if you hung yourself with this stuff you'd slice your head clean off. It would make a great floss and one piece would last you a lifetime!

[SGT Rock]

But you would probably keep loosing it.

["ME & U"]

But you would probably keep loosing it.

stick it in your listerine pocket pack

[Footslogger]

But you would probably keep loosing it.

======================================
Been away from the business for a while ...do they make glow-in-the-dark kevlar thread these days ??

'Slogger

[Buckingham]

I have to have a tooth pulled 2 weeks before I make my trip this year, so I guess that means I can carry less toothpaste?

[kyhipo]

once a day ! not had a cavity yet ky