Hygiene Pearls for Your Practice

Flosstime automated floss dispenser

Colleen Olson, RDH, BBA

I have to admit: when I opened the Flosstime box, I thought to myself, “Can another gadget really help people remember to floss?” After a week of using it, my answer is, “Yes, it certainly can!”

The Flosstime Automated Floss Dispenser is a unique product that helps users build a daily flossing habit. This dispenser uses the three Rs of habit forming—reminder, routine, and reward—to encourage flossing every 24 hours.

It uses a preloaded floss cartridge to deliver 18 inches of floss when the circular device button is pushed. The illuminated outer ring of the device will light up for 22 seconds in each quadrant as the user flosses. A blue smile on the lower quadrants of the dispenser appears once flossing is complete. After 22 hours of inactivity, an orange frown appears on the upper quadrants reminding the user that it is time to floss again.

One useful feature of this dispenser is the dual-user mode. This mode turns the center button into two separate buttons to track the flossing habits of two different users. The dispenser can be mounted on a bathroom mirror or wall for easy visibility and access. This feature caught my attention and kept the device from getting lost in the clutter on the bathroom counter.

Premium polytetrafluorethylene (PTFE) floss is included in the dispenser. It glides seamlessly between the teeth and is not likely to shred in tight interproximal contacts. The product kit also comes with a reusable floss pick that can be used by patients with dexterity issues or in hard-to-reach posterior interproximal contacts. The Flosstime website indicates different floss options may be available soon.

One other cool feature of this product is the Smile Club subscription that is available to replace your floss cartridges. Subscription services are the way to go these days—the more things I can get delivered to my door without thinking, the easier my life is. The user can set the frequency of deliveries and never worry about running out of floss.

I was skeptical of this product at first, but after using it, I can see how it would help patients who are having a hard time building the habit of flossing into their daily routines. Some people need a visual reminder, and this product provides just that. I would recommend this product to patients who truly want to get better about flossing each day but are having a hard time developing the habit.

Dental professionals know and love MI Paste as an effective, easy treatment for hypersensitivity and demineralization. The active ingredient in this family of products, Recaldent, is a milk-derived protein that releases bioavailable calcium and phosphate to tooth surfaces and the oral environment. MI Paste Plus is enhanced with a patented form of fluoride in addition to Recaldent. Now the MI Paste family has grown to include MI Paste One, which is a two-in-one toothpaste that eliminates a step in the process.

MI Paste and MI Paste Plus are tooth creams, not toothpastes, and are applied separately after brushing. Patients can use MI Paste One as their only toothpaste to aid in remineralizing enamel and preventing sensitivity and decay.

Available in a cool mint flavor, MI Paste One releases just as much calcium, phosphate, and fluoride as MI Paste Plus and in the ideal proportions. This product is also free of sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS), and it has a low relative dentin abrasivity (RDA) value of 64. Like the rest of the MI Paste family, MI Paste One contains ingredients derived from milk casein, so patients with a known or suspected milk protein allergy should avoid using these products.

MI Paste One is affordable, but it is not available over the counter. We keep MI Paste One in stock in our office for patients who may be struggling with sensitivity from root exposure, recent whitening, or tooth erosion, and for those who need extra help in avoiding white spot lesions and demineralization. I’m always glad to have another great product on hand to easily and efficiently prevent sensitivity and decay. MI Paste One is a winner in my book.