Hello, Armand here.
I'm a new member of this list serve. I've been living in Washington for almost 30 years, working mostly as a toxicologist.
About 12 years ago, I started a website, www.flossing.org, with the grandiose name of the National Flossing Council (NFC). Today, it’s still just a website which has one stated goal: “Help Spread ‘’Peace of Mouth.’”
Since you can’t really enjoy a great meal if something in your mouth is bothering you, I’m writing for input about a matter that may interest others, like myself, who enjoy both food and floss.
Dentists have been hollering at people for years to get them to floss, so instead at the NFC we use advertising techniques to spread the word. Among other things, we’ve given awards to Jerry Seinfeld and Ellen DeGeneres for their efforts to promote floss. We gave the “Floscar” to the best of five movies that included floss. Last year, we declared Jon Voight, “Public Flosser #1,” after he was reported to floss before a Senate meeting.
Since 2000, we’ve promoted “National Flossing Day” – always the day after Thanksgiving – and last year, in a top down sort of effort, we publicly asked McDonald’s Corp to consider offering floss packets with their meals, eg. “Would you like floss with that?”
As an outgrowth of that effort, two groups who print customized single floss packets (.04 each in batches of 10K) have contacted us. This year, in a bottom-up type effort, we're trying to get specific restaurants (as well as hotels and health related groups) to begin offering these floss/advertising items to their customers.
For restaurants, the era of the advertising matchbook is over. Places that sell steaks, chicken, or any food that gets stuck between teeth, could charm their customers with a floss packet that includes all their contact info. The packets could be left out for use in rest rooms (as is done in some Brazilian steak houses) or tucked in with the check (instead of candies).
I’m posting here to ask for comments and suggestions by those of you who know food and restaurants about possibilities for this effort.
This year, for National Flossing Day (Nov. 28, 2008) we will issue a press release and mention all groups who have decided to start distributing floss packets.
Thanks for your interest!
Best wishes,
Armand