Its similarity to a lipstick tube or a lighter made it feel like something you would naturally throw in your bag before leaving the house (which I did, repeatedly). What the packaging does have going for it is the cylindrical shape, which is weirdly comforting to hold.

Did something as humble as floss really need to come in this sleek container? I do believe that a more beautiful version of a practical item can make you more likely to use it - a stylish Muji dustpan, for instance, or a fun coatrack - but at first glance the flashy look of Quip’s minimalist packaging wasn’t encouraging me to floss more. When the Quip floss arrived, the cylindrical rose-gold metal looked like a vaguely millennial object: matte metallic, smooth, a little techy, as if the shell of an iPhone had been melted down and reformed as a dental-floss package. I was a bit skeptical that it could encourage me any more than my trusty Oral-B did from its position in the medicine cabinet, but I’ll do anything if it means never squeezing that stuffed alligator again.

When Quip offered to send some of their new floss, I accepted. Similar to the brand’s toothbrush and its toothbrush-head refill service, Quip’s floss is sent to you every three months - a $5 tube that you load, like a cartridge, into the metal or plastic container. The thought being, apparently, that a visual reminder can also serve as incentive. They do that by packaging the floss in a carrying case that looks nice enough to leave out on your sink. They call it “The first floss you’ll want to use.” Packaged in a $20 refillable metal (or plastic, for $10 less) container, Quip’s floss is meant to encourage a daily flossing habit - which, it’s worth noting, some experts say may not even be necessary. (I tested their toothbrush, along with five others from start-ups, this summer.) Now they’re trying the same thing with floss. Quip is the direct-to-consumer company that introduced the idea of subscription electric-toothbrush heads in 2015. But Quip thinks they can make it even easier. It’s easy and basic, as flossing should be. My not-exactly-religious-but-good-enough flossing routine has involved Oral-B Glide, a straightforward floss that’s almost always in stock at CVS. And I have been, mostly - at least enough to avoid additional cavities. As I stared through orange-tinted protective glasses up at the fake clouds and sky on the ceiling, listening to the drill, I vowed that I would be better at flossing from then on. Years ago, in a dentist’s chair on the 69th floor of the Chrysler Building - which has since moved to a lower floor somewhere in the West 30s, thanks to a rent spike - this Strategist writer found herself gripping a plush “comfort” alligator, while her dentist filled a number of cavities. We’re republishing it because it’s now enabled with our on-site shopping tool, so you can buy this kit without leaving the page. Photo-Illustration: The Strategist Photo: RetailerĮditor’s note: This post was originally published in November 2019.

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