MRE Survey

Richard · 11-12-2008, 18:03

Here's the latest DOD rations survey:

Flossing is key in maintaining healthy teeth and gums, and having food stuck in your teeth can be downright painful ! What do you think about adding a piece of floss to the MRE for use after eating?

I would think there are other issues related to MREs of greater importance with the troops than whether or not to add a piece of dental floss. We used to just chew on a wooden match or piece of a twig to shred the ends and then use that to clean the bits of fish, pork, tentacle, stringy beef, etc out from between our teeth.

FWIW--I almost posted this under the Comedy Zone once I caught my breath...but figured it must be a serious issue out there because there's an honest-to-God LTC in charge of this important survey.

Richard's $.02

caveman · 11-12-2008, 18:48

I've eaten my fair share of MRE's and I don't believe I've ever had a situation requiring floss. It may have something to do with the fact that there is nothing in an MRE that can't be eaten with a spoon

Delicious and Nutritious.

**Box** · 11-12-2008, 19:38

The idea that someone is so worried about my health and welfare that they have a field grade officer researching my oral hygiene needs as they relate to field rations makes my heart shine with pride.

I feel special, and therefore I want mint flavored floss.

Dozer523 · 11-12-2008, 20:54

Tie the ends to two old spoons and you have a field expedient garrote.
What? Why are you lookin' at me like that? Everything you carry ought to have at least two purposes.

Richard · 11-12-2008, 21:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dozer523

Tie the ends to two old spoons and you have a field expedient garrote.
What? Why are you lookin' at me like that? Everything you carry ought to have at least two purposes.

More than two! As for old spoons, they have many good uses.

Richard's $.02

Dozer523 · 11-12-2008, 22:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard

More than two! As for old spoons, they have many good uses.

Richard's $.02

That's true. Nothing caused the Commo SGT more dismay then to see a plastic spoon thrown away. "You can make commo with that, ya know!"

JJ_BPK · 11-13-2008, 05:34

I think someone should tell the LTC that we always have floss available,,

440 paracord !!!!

Richard · 11-13-2008, 05:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dozer523

Nothing caused the Commo SGT more dismay then to see a plastic spoon thrown away.

Yep. Demo man, too.

Richard's $.02

SF_BHT · 11-13-2008, 06:44

Quote:

Originally Posted by JJ_BPK

I think someone should tell the LTC that we always have floss available,,

440 paracord !!!!

Yeah that only works good when your old and have lost some of our chompers.

Ret10Echo · 11-13-2008, 06:47

So what is actually IN and MRE that would get stuck in your teeth???

Although floss comes in handy with the needle from your survival kit to sew up holes in things.....

bluenote · 11-13-2008, 07:45

I have a problem with MREs getting stuck alright, just not in my teeth...BN

greenberetTFS · 11-13-2008, 10:13

I had my first exposure to MRE's after Katrina. They weren't to bad. Had to eat them for 5 weeks,due to having no power available. In my day it was C's and most were from the WW2's era. I don't remember that either my wife or I had any problems that may have required needing tooth floss.......Just my 2 cents.

GB TFS

AF Doc · 11-13-2008, 12:10

Laugh if you must...and I did...but flossing is extremely important for overall health, not just tooth health. It isn't a question what food get's stuck in yer ivories. Eating anything gets small particles of food trapped in your teeth. Flossing helps reduce the bacterial count and keep your gums healthy. This may reduce your overall inflamatory response. There are suggestions that flossing may reduce the incidence of heart attack. Who's laughing now?

Using a toothpick can be highly effective as well, but floss is still the "gold standard." Floss can be used to repair gear or as improvised sutures or as any number of things (I bet a good EOD airman could turn it into det cord somehow). So go ahead and disrespect the floss if you want, but in the Global War on Terror the humble MRE and a length of floss have their place on the front lines.

(This is why they give these things to field-graders and up)

Red Flag 1 · 11-13-2008, 13:01

Agree with AF Doc, not because he is AF, but because he is correct,

Inclusion of dental floss is a rather inexpensive item. Fifty to one hundred yards of floss takes up less room in an MRE pouch than a pack of matches. Sure you can minimize the dental value if you need to, but it does make a difference as AF Doc mentioned. Not flossing can set up sub-clinical infections within the gingiva that can be a systemic problem down the road. I know that there is at least one member on this board who can address this issue better than I can.

It is true that there are many things that can be used as a fill in for dental floss in the field; how well they work I do not know. In that there have been things identified as dental floss substitutes, speaks to the value of dental floss in the field for dental care.

Perhaps we could take the time to consider what other values dental floss can have in the field. I have used dental floss clinically to remove rings imbedded in fingers. Dental floss would work great in ligating bleeders in the field, when nothing else is available.

IMHO, dental floss would be great addition to the MRE pouch, that can have tactical value as well.

I would value other ideas on how dental floss could be of value in the field; not including the fight against bad breath.

RF 1

ZonieDiver · 11-13-2008, 13:14

Quote:

IMHO, dental floss would be great addition to the MRE pouch, that can have tactical value as well.

I would value other ideas on how dental floss could be of value in the field; not including the fight against bad breath.

RF 1

Camouflage dental floss! I want some...