Uses for Dental Floss (Besides Flossing Your Teeth!)

We all know that we need to use dental floss daily to remove the food particles from in between our teeth and keep our gums healthy. However, you might not have realized just how useful dental floss is for other purposes too! If you come across a task that needs a thin, sturdy piece of string, consider using floss. Or you can use the tips below to use up some floss you got from your last dentist visit that isn’t the brand you prefer. Let’s take a look at a few things you can do with that dental floss, besides cleaning between your teeth:

Hang It Up

The actual thread of dental floss is very sturdy. So sturdy, in fact, that you can use it to hang things up around your house. This can include anything from picture frames to ornaments. Using floss to hang pictures on the wall is a better alternative to rope, because the floss will not scratch the paint on the wall like other hanging mediums can.

Clothes Lines

This thread is so strong that you can use it to set up a quick clothes drying line in a pinch. If you’re out camping or swimming and need to line dry your clothes, simply string some floss up between 2 trees or poles, and you have yourself a line to dry those towels and wet clothes!

Remove Sticky Photos

Have you ever gone to change out a picture in a frame or take a picture out of an old photo album and find that they’re stuck? The more you pull on the edges, the more you ruin the photo. Next time this happens to you, go grab some dental floss. Place the floss between the picture and the frame or sleeve and pull it between the two until the picture comes out. This will save both the picture and the frame!

Getting Cookies Off of the Tray

The only thing worse than a picture stuck to a frame are cookies stuck to the tray. The same method applies to getting cookies off a tray as getting that picture unstuck. Take some floss and guide it underneath the cookie and above the tray. The cookie will come off the tray clean, and you will not lose a chunk of that cookie or have to scrub the baking sheet so hard.

Cutting Food

Another great use for dental floss in the kitchen is when you need to cut some food. Have you ever gone to cut a slice of cheese or bread dough, only to completely smush it in the process? Floss can act as a knife without squishing your food. It can cut foods from cake slices to fruit. It can even slice the skin from a fish if you need it to! Try it out on a variety of foods – you may be surprised by how well it works.

Kitchen Twine

Not only can floss act as a knife, it can also replace string in the kitchen. If you don’t have any string handy to tie that pork loin for dinner, you can use non-wax, unflavored dental floss. It will do the job just the same, and there’s no worry of it burning in the cooking process. It also won’t leave behind any strands like rough twine can. Simply cut it off when the dish is done cooking, and you’re ready to eat!

Starting a Fire

If you find yourself without enough dry kindling to start a fire, grab some wax dental floss. It will burn well and help you get a good fire started. Wrap it around any kindling you have for a good boost. Make sure you add some dental floss to your camping bag in case you need it on your next camping trip.

Wood Repair

If you have some cracks in the wood of your fence, deck, or furniture, you can use glue and floss to repair them. Roll the floss in the glue and insert it into the crack to fill it up. Then add a bit more glue and polish to finish it off. This will seal up the cracks in the wood and save you from considering replacing the entire piece of wood.

Replace Buttons

If a button pops off your shirt and you have no sewing thread, you can go grab that roll of dental floss. Just thread it into the needle like you would regular thread, and reattach the button. The floss will hold just as well as sewing thread would.

Makeshift Shoelaces

Did your shoelace break, but you still need to wear those shoes? Use some dental floss until you can get a replacement.

Seal Up Connections

Since dental floss is so sturdy, it makes sense that it can hold its own against teflon tape. If you have a connection on your pipes that’s leaking and do not have sealant tape anywhere, you can use wax coated dental floss in its place.

Clean Crannies

Besides between your teeth, there are lots of other crevices around that are difficult to reach for cleaning. They might be in your tools, electronics, or other household items.

Go Fishing

Dental floss is often used to make DIY fishing poles. The simplest version just requires floss, a stick, a hook, and some bait!

While these are just a few of the household and outdoor uses for dental floss, this list gives you a good idea of what all you can do with this strong thread. Of course, you should also be using it to floss your teeth daily! So next time you find yourself staring at that pile of dental floss in your medicine cabinet, remember that you can use it for so many thing around your house. Consider putting a roll in your purse, toolbox, camping bag, and utility drawer as well.

If you want to read another fun article about dentistry, check out Flintlock Dental’s blog that debunks some common dental myths!

Dr. Wolfgang Schaller

Dr. Wolfgang Schaller was born in Germany, but he moved to Kansas City, Missouri in 1975 and has been here ever since. He loves this area! After graduating from Rockhurst High School, he went on to pursue extensive higher education. Dr. Schaller really values continuing education and training because that’s how he is able to be the most qualified that he can to care for you and your family’s dental needs!

Dr. Schaller completed his undergraduate studies at Kansas State University. He then obtained both an MS degree in biochemistry and his DDS degree at the University of Iowa. Dr. Schaller has worked as a DDS in a group office in Kansas and a solo practitioner in Independence for almost 10 years.

Studying at the University of Iowa was a great experience not only for education, but that’s also where Dr. Schaller met his wonderful wife, Monika. They moved to theNorthland area of Kansas City after graduation, where they now live with their two beautiful daughters, Natalie and Gabrielle. Monika Schaller works at North Kansas City Hospital as an oncology pharmacist.

In addition to dentistry and spending time with his family, Dr. Schaller’s other interests include gardening and photography. He looks forward to getting to know you and your family, too!