Making sure that your bugout bag and EDC (every day carry) kit has everything you need to survive if disaster strikes is a daunting task, to say the least. Re-evaluating the items in out BOB bags, INCH bags, or get home bags on a regular basis — and making sure we know how to fully use all the items contained inside — is an extremely good and potentially life-saving idea.
Any survival item that is lightweight, takes up little space, and has multiple uses should get a gold star and be given due consideration for inclusion in the aforementioned bags. We have covered many prepping must-haves with a multitude of off-label uses on Survival Based. Dental floss is but the latest cheap-o prepper item to add to the list.
Dental health is, of course, extremely important during a long-term disaster. Poor oral hygiene can lead not only to loss of teeth (which we don’t want because teeth help us chew food, which gives us energy), but can also cause overall health concerns. Additionally, this little white string has a plethora of potential survival uses.
Top 20 Dental Floss Survival Uses
- Alarm Making – Use dental floss to string together noisemakers along your perimeter. Soda pop tops and canned food lids make great makeshift security fencing.
- Mending – Dental floss is surely strong enough to replace standard thread and can be used to sew on a button, fix a hole in a sock, shirts or even denim jeans. Thread is not expensive, but floss is cheaper, and comes in its own handy container, which will easily keep it from becoming tangled. Un-waxed dental floss is best for mending purposes.
- Snare Making – Floss is reportedly strong enough to hold both small and most medium-sized critters that you might come across in the woods. Picture hanger wire or a thin gauge jewelry-making wire also works great with snares, but why pack multiple supplies if you don’t have to? Dental floss can do it all.
- Fire Starters – The wax in dental floss burns both quickly and easily. If you take the handy fire starter idea one step further and tie some kindling together with the floss, it should help keep the flame stable and growing.
- Glasses Repair – If you can’t see, you can’t fire your rifle accurately to score wild game, thread a fishing lure, or be aware of obstacles along your path. Use dental floss to run through the hole where a missing screw should be to hold the earpiece firmly in place, or lash together a broken nosepiece. The floss is also handy to keep glasses you do not have to wear all the time (such as sunglasses or reading glasses) handy by knotting the floss around the earpiece end and tying the frames around your neck.
- Food Cutting – If you have lost your knife or have cut wild game with it and do not want to risk germ transfer when slicing cooked meat, veggies, fish, or fruit, pull out your dental floss container. The fine floss will cut through meat easily. (It also works great when slicing frozen ice cream cakes before the SHTF as well!)
- Shelter – Use dental floss to make attack tarps or tie blanket ends together to make an emergency lean-to tent.
- Securing loose items – Prevent hair and clothing from getting snagged when attempting to move quickly and quietly through the woods or other tight spaces. The floss can also be used to tie items that you would like to keep handy to your bugout bag.
- Tripwire Making – Tie dental floss around some trees, posts, or other sturdy items near your perimeter, keeping it close to the ground to prevent unwanted visitors from filtering into the area undetected.
- Shoelaces – Extra boot and shoelaces are bugout bag staples and make sound bartering items as well. To conserve space in your EDC kit or get home bag, simply use floss to keep footwear snugly on your feet.
- Bow Making – By braiding several strands of dental floss together you could replace a broken bow string or craft a makeshift string for a bow made from branches.
- Fishing – You can make a fishing pole or a fishing net out of dental floss. Use or make a hook, attach it to one strand of dental floss and tie the homemade rigging to a sturdy branch. Making a fishing net from floss is a bit more time-consuming, but will work to catch a lot of fish quickly, instead of staying in one spot for hours with a fishing pole. Cut about 14 strands the same length and fashion them into a net shape on the ground. Knot the strands firmly in place about every three inches, where the horizontal and vertical strands intersect.
- Rope Making – Braiding about five strands of floss together will create a strong rope that can be used to hang meat, pull gear or make a sling for an injured arm.
- Stitches – Dental floss can be used to stitch up wounds during a survival situation when calling 911 is not an option. If possible, pour some rubbing alcohol or tea tree oil on the floss and allow it to air dry to help sterilize the floss before using it for stitching.
- Lashings – Tie branches together to make a shelter, raft, sleeping pallet, a litter to pull an injured person, or a sled to pull your gear through the snow.
- Restraints – Secure the wrists or ankles of someone who is a threat to themselves or others with dental floss.
- Straps – Make carrying or hanging straps for bags with floss. The floss straps can also be used to tie plastic bags securely around feet and legs, etc. to help keep you dry when it rains or when you need to wade through water.
- Clothesline – Wet or damp clothing can lead to frostbite and hypothermia rather quickly. Keeping socks clean and dry is extremely important during long hikes in any type of weather. Simply tie some dental floss to tree branches or posts and hang your clothing out to dry.
- Spear Making – Tie your knife firmly to a tree branch or pipe to make a spear for hunting or self-defense.
- Pulley System – Dental floss strips braided together into a rope can be used to make a pulley system to help lift heavy objects and secure them in place.