The Good: It is inexpensive, It basically works
The Bad: Frays easily, Weak flavor
The Basics: G-U-M Mint Waxed Butlerweave Dental Floss is too fragile to be the dental floss of choice for those looking out for their teeth!
Now more than ever, I worry about my teeth. It has been over a decade since I was able to afford a check-up and teeth cleaning at the dentist and so I’ve been on my own for quite a while in that regard. That means, in addition to brushing my teeth at least twice a day, I have rapidly become . . . a regular flosser. Now, flossing one’s teeth is considered a good time by exactly no one that I know. It’s not great for me, either, but it’s something I do. As such, I have been considering dental floss of late. Like toilet paper, dental floss is one of those annoying products where we tend to use it, dispose of it, and forget about it. That doesn’t mean there aren’t better and worse ones on the market. My first review of one, G-U-M Mint Waxed Butlerweave Dental Floss is, unfortunately, one of the lesser dental flosses on the market.
G-U-M Mint Waxed Butlerweave Dental Floss comes in a 200 yard spool and, for me, that represents about a year’s worth of dental floss, considering I generally use a miserly foot and a half of floss each flossing. G-U-M Mint Waxed Butlerweave Dental Floss is a white, nylon thread that is accessed by flipping open the top of the container. This keeps the spool protected from water and debris, while still allowing access to the next length of floss.
To dispense G-U-M Mint Waxed Butlerweave Dental Floss, simply flip open the top of the 200 yard container and pull the white nylon floss out. This package features one hole out of which the floss is drawn and a simple tab-style cutter about an inch away from the dispensing hole. This allows one to be assured that they will never lose the end of the G-U-M Mint Waxed Butlerweave Dental Floss! Simply sliding the floss underneath the tab and pulling easily snaps the floss, leaving one ready to use it.
To be fair to G-U-M Mint Waxed Butlerweave Dental Floss, it is an initially simple product to use. After the length of floss has been cut, secure the floss around your fingers. Because of the angles one needs to hit when flossing, I recommend against pinching the floss. Instead, I wrap the floss loosely around the tips of my index fingers, essentially creating a garrotte with it. Then, stick your fingers in your mouth, pushing the floss thread between the space between each tooth, stopping when you hit your gums. I tend to work from the top down so that way I’m not cleaning my gums and teeth on bottom only to resoil them moments later with material from up top. After the floss is between a pair of teeth, gently move it back and forth, loosening up any matter that has gotten trapped between your teeth and gums. Repeat with each tooth, moving along the floss to prevent breakage.
The first few times one uses G-U-M Mint Waxed Butlerweave Dental Floss, or any dental floss, the results will be pretty gross; that’s normal. The material that comes out of your mouth the first time you floss is tartar, plaque and – most importantly – food and other materials that is literally rotting in your mouth. As it rots, it wears away at the enamel on your teeth and destroys your gums, forcing an immune response.
So, why am I so down on such a basic product as G-U-M Mint Waxed Butlerweave Dental Floss?
First, G-U-M Mint Waxed Butlerweave Dental Floss is very fragile. Unlike other waxed dental flosses I have used over the years, G-U-M Mint Waxed Butlerweave Dental Floss frays exceptionally quickly. The G-U-M Mint Waxed Butlerweave Dental Floss basically gets torn up moving between teeth and while some of that is normal, the G-U-M Mint Waxed Butlerweave Dental Floss frays at an exceptionally fast rate, like after a tooth or two of use, I have to move along the strand, lest I snap the floss. This is especially problematic in that when this floss frays, it actually seems to snap in multiple places. As a result, I have – several times – had to fish out tiny threads of floss from between my teeth that have snapped and remained between the teeth.
I do not have especially sharp gums and I have not experienced this problem with any other floss so far. G-U-M Mint Waxed Butlerweave Dental Floss is just problematically brittle and that makes its usage more difficult than it ought to be.
Also dragging down G-U-M Mint Waxed Butlerweave Dental Floss is the taste. While G-U-M Mint Waxed Butlerweave Dental Floss occasionally does smell like spearmint, it is not a very strong smell. Moreover, it tastes far waxier than minty and does not leave any mint scent on the teeth or gums. That forces me to ask what the point of making it mint flavored is.
Ultimately, G-U-M Mint Waxed Butlerweave Dental Floss is too fragile to be worth recommending. While some inexpensive products are worth buying, quality makes the distinction between inexpensive and cheap. Unfortunately for those taking their dental health seriously, G-U-M Mint Waxed Butlerweave Dental Floss is the latter.
For other oral care items, check out my reviews of:
Kid’s Crest Sparkle Fun Cavity Protection Toothpaste
Biotene Fresh Mint Dry Mouth Toothpaste
Oxyfresh Dental Gel
3.5/10
For other health and beauty product reviews, be sure to visit my Health and Beauty Review Index Page for an organized listing.
© 2012 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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