Nine out of 10 dentists recommend it. But surprising tensile strength and the fact that it comes in Teflon means that floss also has lots of non-tooth applications.
Literally, millions of miles of it are sold annually, and not every inch is destined to save those pearly whites. Here's what else you can do with it.
7 Uses for Dental Floss
Hang a Picture
Instead of using braided wire which can mar your wall, tie dental floss across the back of a lightweight frame and then hang it on the wall.
Sew something
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Thread dental floss through a needle with a large eye and then use it to sew on a button in a pinch.
Seal connections
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If you don’t have Teflon tape on hand, wrap dental floss around the threads on a leaky connection and then screw it back into place.
Foil frays
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Wrap rope ends with floss to stop it from unraveling.
Protect bits
Remove the dental floss guide and empty spool, and then use the container to cradle a router’s trim bit.
Replace a broken shoelace
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Tie the ends of several pieces of detail floss together, wrap the ends with clear tape, and then use as a makeshift shoelace.
Floss tools
Use dental floss to remove dirt from the thread on a screw or from the crevices on a dirty tool.