When your mouth is loaded with bands, brackets and wires, flossing becomes a lot tougher and even more important.

Austin dental hygienist Laura Morgan invented the only flosser that fits under the dental wires of the braces. It’s called the 'Platypus' and she thought up the idea about a year ago while she was at work.

“My first prototype was a toothbrush handle,” Morgan said. “I cut off the top and melted a wire into the head of the toothbrush and bent it so it would fit underneath the wire.”

Before the Platypus, people with braces had to thread floss under the wire for every tooth. Mom, Leah Davis said it would sometimes take up to ten minutes to floss her son's mouth.

“I was very frustrated,” Davis said. “I actually flossed for him, so I'm really excited about the Platypus.”

Now, her 11-year-old son, Austin, flosses by himself and says it’s super easy. Good thing, because Morgan says trapped food particles and plaque are a breeding ground for cavity-causing bacteria in your braces. That makes flossing even more important to keep Austin’s smile healthy.

The Platypus is not sold through retail yet. To order a box of the floss pics, call Paradise Dental Technologies at 406-626-4153 or 1-800-240-9895 or go to www.pdtdental.com.