Flossing with Fishing Line

Being back in our hometown after 10 months living in the motor home means catching up with annual doctor appointments. The routine health maintenance visits that we believe in. Including a 6 month visit to our dentist. This is starting to sound like a PSA = Public Service Announcement.

We're lucky, I think, to really like the employees and the dentist that we have been going to for years. We know them and they know us. When we walked into the dentist office, the office manager, Staci, said "There's 2 of my favorite people!" They're just a friendly, warm group of people.

Rick and I had our teeth cleaned, Rick without instance. Not so easy for me. The hygienist and the dentist collaborated and agreed that I needed an old silver-color filling removed and a crown installed to replace it. No, not the type of crown to wear on my head to show to all that I am queen. The type of crown that will save my #2 tooth. I didn't like the news, but eventually I agreed with them.

What choice did I really have? Like a commercial we've seen on TV, I could wait until my tooth falls apart when I'm far from home. Funny, I've not had any pain from there, but it was cracked they said, like an ice cube. I said to the hygienist, "you mean like a diamond." Oh yes, she agreed, "a diamond", humoring me.

It seems Rick and I are having to deal with replacing the few fillings we had done as children. No, not from eating too much Halloween candy! For the past few years the old silver fillings have been falling apart or causing our teeth to have problems. The old fillings have lasted 30, 40 years or more, and dentists don't use that type of material anymore. Thank goodness neither of us have very many old fillings. And no other dental problems. Whew!

Anyway, while talking with the hygienist and telling her my brushing and flossing habits, she said I need to try to brush my teeth every 4 hours regardless of if I eat or not. What? Every 4 hours? I hadn't heard of that routine before, but she said the bacteria needs to be moved around so the plaque doesn't stick to my teeth.

Makes sense, I guess. But I told her I fish all day and I didn't see how I was going to be able to bring out my toothbrush (rechargeable electric) on the river and buzz buzz buzz my teeth. She didn't understand how I could fish for 6 or 8 hours and it took her a few minutes to grasp that I was standing in a river, not on a boat. I don't usually stop to sit on the river bank and take a break.

I'm sure it's written somewhere in the Official River Etiquette Rule Book that no electric toothbrushes are allowed to disrupt the quiet of the river. I would be laughed at and it might scare the fish. She didn't quite understand the Rules of the River and she said I could buy small, travel sized toothbrushes with pre-applied toothpaste. And she said I could floss! With fishing line if that's all I had with me.

Hmmm... 5 pound or 10 pound line??? I'll have to make sure no hook is attached!!!