A new tool effectively motivates orthodontic dental patients to floss
We all know that flossing falls pretty low on the totem pole of importance to the average person. I’ve heard it ALL! From circulation being cut off to the fingers, to the inability to reach the posterior sextants of the mouth, to limited dexterity, to hands being too large for the mouth, to simply not wanting to even put hands in their own mouth, my patients always seem to have some excuse (albeit almost always legitimate) not to floss. As if that’s not challenging enough, we then throw braces into the mix and we’re left with a plethora of reasons to dissuade one from flossing, a habit that often continues well after braces are removed.
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Thankfully, a new product of the GumChucks line called ORTHOgami has found a way to battle the many critics of flossing with braces, giving even more merit to their genius concept of plaque-fighting ninjas and superheroes! ORTHOgami has broken the glass ceiling with its ability to provide fun and effective flossing to orthodontic patients. Not only can patients easily and effectively maneuver the recommended “C” shape flossing method, but it takes only a fraction of the time of traditional threading methods. According to OralWise, makers of GumChucks, reports show that patients with braces can floss their entire mouth using the “C” shape method in less than two minutes — quite the reduction from the average 20 minutes it previously took for threading the entire mouth.
Aside from the countless technical features of the product that allure consumers, the true promising aspect for clinicians is the hope of compliance. Proper oral hygiene comes by way of making habits, and ORTHOgami provides the perfect segway through one of dental hygiene’s most difficult challenges — flossing with braces. Whether you begin with GumChucks as a child, use ORTHOgami with braces, or move on to ProFloss as an adult, there is something for everyone at every age and every stage of life, leaving no room to sway away from the flossing routine. To put in simple terms, where there is a habit, there is frequency, and when there is frequency in the dental world, there is effectiveness and bacterial control.
For the first time since being in the dental field, I have seen patients excited about engaging in their oral health. Not only are they excited to floss themselves, but they are excited to spread the word so that their friends and family can partake in the fun as well. I went into the dental hygiene profession because I love people, and I find genuine joy in helping patients achieve optimal oral health. Through the interest and response that I have witnessed this product bring to the dental community, I am once again inspired and reminded of how something so simple can make such a difference in the lives of my patients.
So how do I summarize this revolutionizing product in 500 words? I can’t! Try it yourself and you will see why this is exciting dental professionals and consumers alike. The GumChucks product line is more than just a typical flossing tool. It is a source of developing patterns that will follow our patients through every stage of life. It’s fun … it’s effective … it’s easy … it’s GumChucks!
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Brix Gatti, RDH, is a recent graduate of Loma Linda University. She first heard about the GumChucks brand while in school and quickly realized the impact the product had on the dental world. Brix is currently working in private practice as a clinician while also taking classes to further her degree in dental hygiene and eventually teach as a professor. She has also devoted much of her time to raising oral cancer awareness by acting as team captain of “Hygiene Heroes” in the American Cancer Society’s “Relay for Life” events.
