Comments on: you don't have an excuse not to floss anymore

you don't have an excuse not to floss anymore

prescribed life — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 17:21:07 -0800

you don't have an excuse not to floss anymore

By: mathowie

mathowie — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 17:25:31 -0800

No way. Until nanobots can clean under my gumline while I sleep, I'm still going to have trouble remembering to do it twice a day. Also, this innovation can be copied with some duct tape, a tube of paste, and a pack of floss.

By: robbie01

robbie01 — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 17:27:28 -0800

Another marvel of design and engineering that is, of course, completely unnecessary. Let's hope they sell enough of the expensive tubes (before pulling the product) to pay for that 3D Flash demo! I can't even get the Neat Squeeze tubes in my local grocery stores anymore. Guess even they were too expensive.. which just goes to show, we don't really give a shit about our toothpaste packaging.

By: mr_crash_davis

mr_crash_davis — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 17:28:16 -0800

I always floss after I drink Pepsi Blue^TM.

By: riffola

riffola — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 17:28:44 -0800

I second what mathowie said. At first I thought this was about the flossing handle thingy that's come out, that has a toothbrush like handle with a flosser attached to it.

By: m@

m@ — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 17:32:45 -0800

We got one. One (of two) of us flossed--once. We still have an excuse, we're lazy.

By: orange swan

orange swan — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 17:41:56 -0800

Wow. I haven't seen such a useful new product innovation since I saw that Daisy had made the pink razor package resealable by putting a ziploc-like closure on it. WHO CARES? Why don't they focus on making a better razor or a instrument that takes the yuckiness out of flossing?

By: quonsar

quonsar — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 17:47:35 -0800

i feel so pretty!

By: WolfDaddy

WolfDaddy — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 17:48:03 -0800

The only valid reason to floss is that it will decrease the numbers of dental hygenists in the world. Hygenists who I'm sure, all get trained by some government agency in the all the fine arts of torture. The only reason dentists terrify me is because of dental hygenists and their "cleaning" procedures.

By: birdherder

birdherder — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 18:02:19 -0800

wow. i can't believe that time magazine didn't mention this in its inventions of the year article. maybe they are saving it so the inventor can be named person of the year.

By: moonbird

moonbird — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 18:04:30 -0800

This post sponsored by AquaFresh^TM and theAmerican Flouride Marketing Association.

By: jacquilynne

jacquilynne — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 18:13:02 -0800

I do so enjoy the merger of multiple products together in one package. Because just as I always use the same amount of red ink and blue ink and yellow ink, I also always use the appropriately corresponding amount of floss and toothpaste as decided for me by Aquafresh.

By: rushmc

rushmc — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 18:13:36 -0800

I rarely turn on the TV, and yet I've seen the commercial for this product several times now.

By: foot

foot — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 18:17:40 -0800

plackers, plackers, professional quality, tuffloss.

By: XQUZYPHYR

XQUZYPHYR — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 18:33:05 -0800

you don't have an excuse for this FPP.

By: BentPenguin

BentPenguin — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 18:35:59 -0800

best.fpp.ever really!

By: wendell

wendell — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 18:45:37 -0800

FlossFilter. Why the spoiler spacing, BentP.? (Or were you just doing the written-word equivalent of a Paul Harvey Pause?)

By: the fire you left me

the fire you left me — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 18:49:11 -0800

Also, this innovation can be copied with some duct tape, a tube of paste, and a pack of floss. This is true of so many things.

By: Civil_Disobedient

Civil_Disobedient — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 18:50:08 -0800

AdFilter. Oh, and WhiteSpaceFilter.

By: mischief

mischief — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 19:07:51 -0800

Hygenists who I'm sure, all get trained by some government agency

My sister received her hygienist training courtesy of the US Navy. It's true!

By: WolfDaddy

WolfDaddy — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 19:18:44 -0800

Hmph. I knew it!!

By: spacewaitress

spacewaitress — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 19:22:06 -0800

worst. front page post. ever.

By: jacquilynne

jacquilynne — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 19:29:27 -0800

Sigh. I reloaded the page three times, thinking it was broken by BentPenguin's post.

By: boredomjockey

boredomjockey — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 19:38:04 -0800

You've got to be kidding me.

By: kliuless

kliuless — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 19:40:59 -0800

woven, not waxed! or razorblades :D

By: troutfishing

troutfishing — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 19:46:02 -0800

why floss?....WHY FLOSS?! ".....So we can see the pernicious progression by which one day you have a toothache that won't go away and then the next you find yourself, perhaps, partially paralyzed and rolling around in a motorized wheelchair taking huffs from an oxygen bottle until, unexpectedly, the batteries of your wheelchair fail while crossing the street and you are crushed by a hulking black SUV driven by a bored and drunk housewife going two blocks to the supermarket buy toilet paper and cat food. And thus it ends. ....This is how a creeping progression in the neglect of routine dental hygiene leads, little by little - incrementally - to insanity, ruin, and death." I just couldn't resist a shameless self-link to a bit of writing I'd tossed aside long ago: Global Warming and dental Care - undisciplined, but it has it's moments.

By: robbie01

robbie01 — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 19:46:33 -0800

I always like when we get to the part about questioning the validity of the post as "front page post" worthy. It's as if to insinuate that there are other, more appropriate pages to post some links to on MeFi -- like a bottom page or side page, or "that post really is more appropriate for page 7A, after the comics." Or maybe a page dedicated solely to advancements in dental care.

By: mischief

mischief — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 19:48:48 -0800

worst. front page post. ever.

Um, psst, spaced waitress, check out who got first post! [/whisper]

By: marvin

marvin — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 19:50:46 -0800

Pointless landfill. Thank you. (...so that's what "fpp" stands for.)

By: troutfishing

troutfishing — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 19:56:01 -0800

"This neglect will, insidiously, continue over the years as the dental reprobate continues down this slow and easy path towards dental disease. It is the easy road, the soft road built upon the minor moral flabbiness of poor habits which leads without fail to dental decay and ruin. We surely all know, or suspect that we know, one of these individuals. One can never be too sure and one can never be too careful, for habits are infectious and so it is best to steer a wide berth around those who neglect their teeth and, furthermore, allow this neglect to go on for years and years - for they are somewhat less than wholesome" - anonymous

By: dejah420

dejah420 — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 20:37:37 -0800

So, this product placement....it vibrates? /em ducks the various thrown items...

By: stbalbach

stbalbach — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 20:39:24 -0800

What happens if the toothpaste runs out before the floss? Do you stop brushing? Or throw good floss after bad? I want to be a dental floss tycoon.

By: beth

beth — Wed, 12 Nov 2003 22:58:01 -0800

I have a badge holder neck-strap that I made by cardweaving forty strands of dental floss (unwaxed). I used mint for the green and regular for the, uh, white. Really I've just been waiting for years for a floss-related thread to come up so I could share this.

By: i_cola

i_cola — Thu, 13 Nov 2003 00:35:33 -0800

beth, that sounds a hellava lot more interesting than the stoopid toothpaste...can we see a picture anywhere?

By: phylum sinter

phylum sinter — Thu, 13 Nov 2003 00:56:37 -0800

this "floss presentation" wins my award for most ridiculous use of computing power ever. Even moreso than those damn X10 ads.

By: Dick Paris

Dick Paris — Thu, 13 Nov 2003 02:16:51 -0800

Q. Does the amount of floss equal the amount of toothpaste? A. In general, everyone has different flossing and brushing habits, but if used as directed, the toothpaste and floss will run out at approximately at the same time. Even so, the floss dispenser is detachable and can be used after the toothpaste has run out.Stbalbach can rest easy now. I don't believe: a. That they actually have FAQ's. b. That this will actually make someone buy this. (Do people often visit a web site for questions about how toothpaste tubes and floss dispensers work?) c. That it comes in two great flavors! d. That I actually spent time with this.

By: asok

asok — Thu, 13 Nov 2003 02:43:22 -0800

stbalbach, why not move to Montana? Just you and the pigmy pony, over by the dental floss bush. The poodle bites. The poodle chews it.

By: stavrosthewonderchicken

stavrosthewonderchicken — Thu, 13 Nov 2003 03:21:45 -0800

My theory is that 'prescribed life' is a mathowie sockpuppet, and he's using the nick because he's being forced to post oral-hygiene related material by the Dental Mafia (the Cosa Dentra), who have kidnapped his wife and are tortuing him by sending him mp3s with the sounds of whirring drills and repeated 'is it safe?' enquiries until their cunningly-placed Google ads get enough click-throughs! You reckon?

By: mischief

mischief — Thu, 13 Nov 2003 04:07:32 -0800

Do people often visit a web site for questions about how toothpaste tubes and floss dispensers work?

We all just did.

By: rushmc

rushmc — Thu, 13 Nov 2003 04:58:50 -0800

The Dental Floss Song.

By: pekar wood

pekar wood — Thu, 13 Nov 2003 05:03:26 -0800

raisin' 'em up and waxin' 'em down!

By: troutfishing

troutfishing — Thu, 13 Nov 2003 05:32:28 -0800

The AquaFresh folks have just scratched the surface in developing this new approach to the toothpaste tube..... We can liken the toothpaste tube to the "chassis", and so - when we look at it from this fresh, novel perspective - we can suddenly see a veritable plethora of exciting new possibilities: a tiny razor or nose hair trimmer attached to the toothpaste tube, a miniature bar of soap, or even a small deodorant stick. Further, these new, exciting options can be pegged to price, of course, and so the tube can be - for those willing to pay the price - "fully loaded" with options as with a car. Going further, the "Supersize" tube can contain multiple tubes with toothpaste, shampoo, hair gel, mouthwash, and so on. This may require the development of an external or internal rigid frame to carry the extra load, and a special strapping system which attaches to the consumer's body and head - for hands-free operation. We envision our multipurpose tubes as the new personal hygeine "hub", around which all personal grooming will soon revolve and aim to make this hub the new mark of status among the upwardly mobile tech-savvy young professional class with the advertising slogans - "Dude, where's your tube?", "Don't be caught tubeless!", and "It's not just a tube - It's an adventure!"

By: stupidsexyFlanders

stupidsexyFlanders — Thu, 13 Nov 2003 05:54:39 -0800

If they could somehow attach a comb and a clean shirt to this packaging, I would be satisfied. Until then, unh-uh. /turns back on progress

By: rushmc

rushmc — Thu, 13 Nov 2003 06:24:26 -0800

nose hair trimmer attached to the toothpaste tube I feel ill. "Honey, why is the toothpaste crunchy all of a sudden?"

By: staggernation

staggernation — Thu, 13 Nov 2003 07:01:32 -0800

or a instrument that takes the yuckiness out of flossing? Maybe this or this? Or the flossAwl, if you're looking for "a finger extension that replaces the bulk of one hand" (and, frankly, who isn't)?

By: orange swan

orange swan — Thu, 13 Nov 2003 07:33:51 -0800

Hey, thanks, staggernation. I've seen the y-shaped floss holders, but never gotten one as they won't work for me - I have permanent retainers cemented to the back of my upper and lower teeth and must somehow insert the floss below the wire. But that awl looks like it might actually work. Thread redeemed (for me at least). And maybe I'll be less grumpy about the resealable packaging on my razors. After all, it keeps them so nice and fresh.

By: troutfishing

troutfishing — Thu, 13 Nov 2003 07:44:24 -0800

I like that "Reach" floss gadget, staggernation - It actually looks like it could be useful and besides, it's - "....Available in three fashionable colors: Aqua, Raspberry and Lime." Apple should have been giving these things - color matching of course - away with their original colored CRT iMacs. It makes sense - Macs are designed with a high level of "sex appeal", and there nothing sexier than a mouthful of clean, gleaming white teeth! (well, I can think of a few things that are sexier, but anyway....) Now, the Reach folks can give away CRT iMacs with their floss gadgets! - "Free color matching, stylish non-functional iMac with each purchase! Can be used as a paperweight or a fish-tank!" Meanwhile (back the the floss discussion) - has anyone here ever been to a dental hygiene products convention? And - oh yeah - speaking of sex : why not take the direct approach and sell toothbrushes or toothpaste tubes in the shape of human figures - say shapely, scantily clad male and female miniatures of Hollywood stars, glitterati, politicians, digiterati, historical figures, famous philosophers........Santayana, Wittgenstein, Karl Marx and Adam Smith - as toothbrush figures! This could be the hottest collection craze of the decade, far more interesting than mere Beanie Babies, Cabbage Patch dolls, or whatever cult collectible crap is currently reigning on Ebay. Think of it - "The White House toothbrush series"! - George W., Dick Cheney, Don Rumsfeld, Colin Powell, Condi Rice.......that series could come with a special holder for the toothbrush figures - a small plastic White House with built in toothpaste dispenser! When you pump the dispenser button, a little head in the image of the current White House press spokesman pops out, it's mouth opens, and toothpaste oozes out! And all the other characters - every serious celeb would participate, for the PR and the royalties. Britney Spears, Russell Crowe, Ron Jeremy..........oh, what fun. With new production techniques, also, it should be possible to do a 3D imaging of one's own body so as to make a toothbrush or toothpaste tub miniature in one's own image! Lovers could do this and then swap and so brush while holding their paramours in the palms of their hands.........narcissists could just brush with themselves, so to speak. I'm writing up the business plan now.

By: jazzkat11

jazzkat11 — Thu, 13 Nov 2003 09:08:11 -0800

I'm writing up the business plan now. 1. We welcome our new oral healthcare overlords. 2. ????? 3. Profit! This message brought to you by the Joseph Campbell center for resurrected mono-memes.

By: rushmc

rushmc — Thu, 13 Nov 2003 09:27:09 -0800

why not take the direct approach and sell toothbrushes or toothpaste tubes in the shape of human figures Just not Prince Charles. Please.

By: troutfishing

troutfishing — Thu, 13 Nov 2003 11:40:17 -0800

resurrected mono-memes? - I like the sound of this even if I don't have a clue what you're talking about....are they related to toothbrushes?

By: mad

mad — Thu, 13 Nov 2003 13:32:45 -0800

I must be the only one that thinks this is valuable, barring the product placement nature of it. This is a great idea.

Saves space (floss no longer falls out of my medicine cabinet onto the floor)

Saves time (shopping, replacing floss) Now if only I used Aquafresh.

By: orange swan

orange swan — Thu, 13 Nov 2003 15:40:10 -0800

why not take the direct approach and sell toothbrushes or toothpaste tubes in the shape of human figures Just not Prince Charles. Please. Nah, the capitalists learned their lesson after the "tampons that look like Prince Charles marketing fiasco". They only sold in the one store near Camilla Parker-Bowles' residence.

By: Down10

Down10 — Thu, 13 Nov 2003 20:58:18 -0800

This is another invention that is so obvious that it seems unnecessary... but that's what make it so ingenius. What better way to remind people to brush AND floss than to stick them together? Cheers for this design.