Metal Mouth Message Board

Questions about flossing,

I can not for the life of me floss around my molar band. I can on one side of it, however, I have to carefully push this special floss through an imbrasure space to get it though. Take some really effort and luck. The other side of the molar band. No way, every time I try to floss it just cuts the floss. Argh...

How long do you spend flossing. At first it took me 40 minutes to fully clean my teeth. I'm down to about 15 minutes now, but I don't even have my lower braces on yet.

And how often? I'm doing it once a day.

// Occational days of brush and mouthwash

- Missing Tooth -

I have braces on my lower teeth only (for now) and I just use my proxibrush to floss my teeth, I've tried using regular floss and I just can't do it. I use the reach access flosser to floss my top teeth.

I floss two maybe three times a month. I use a waterpic nightly instead. Much quicker, much less hassle and has been just as effective as flossing according to the ortho and dentist.

Well worth the $40.

MMG

i floss a few times a week...my ortho told me to use tartar control listerine twice daily, more than flossing

I only floss my molars really well a couple times a month. Every other time I floss my molars, I cheat. I dont go under the arch wire but still push the floss down in there. It's probably not as good but it doesnt take as long and its better than doing it only a few times?

You need to get the kind of floss for dentures which has a stiff end. The stiffness on the end of the floss allows you to thread it over or under your archwire so you can floss. Crest makes one. It is called threader floss I think. The ortho gave me those darn little needles that I was supposed to "thread" my regular floss through. It took too long to thread and it comes right out.

I floss once per day before going to bed. It takes me only about 5 minutes or less for uppers and lowers. I also use the water pik at least two times a day. Three times or more on weekends. I basically use it whenever I eat while at home. It takes about one minute to use the interplak. If I am at home and eat lunch I use the interplak and don't bother brushing.

Don't give up on flossing. The Interplak gets the big stuff out but the flossing really gets the stuff that is really stuck to your teeth. That is how plak and tartar get going is that stuff that you never use enough force to move. If the interplak used enough force to move that really stuck on stuff it would really hurt your gums.

Take care...

You need to get the kind of floss for dentures which has a stiff end. The stiffness on the end of the floss allows you to thread it over or under your archwire so you can floss.

That is what I use. the problem is getting it betwen the teeth. The molar band litterally tears the floss. Also, the stiff end of the floss is the only reason I get the other side of the molar.

- Missing Tooth -

I had the same problem when the braces first went on, and I could not for the life of me floss the back teeth due to the molar bands.

When my ortho called about week after I got the braces on I asked her what I should do, and she basically said to forget about flossing that area for another week or two and slowly the teeth will shift so that it's easier to floss.

Now, about three weeks from the braces date, I am able to floss all my teeth. It's a small victory, but I'll take it. So I'd give yourself another week or two and see how it goes, the odds are that your teeth will move a little and you will be able to floss... and then you will know your teeth are making progress!

And the shredding thing gets easier, I absolutely love my super floss, and I have figured out how to floss without having it shred to pieces... there is one front tooth that it sometimes happens with, but that's about it. I used to always get it caught on my brackets!

Bianca's right. I couldn't floss at all initially, but now my teeth are really spreading out, so it's much easier.

Crest makes a floss that is called Glide Threader Floss which is what I started using and its supposed to be shred resistant. And it has been shred resistant about 95 percent of the time. I also use a Waterpik that I have found really handy and I use it after each meal. It is a pain and time consuming but I figure I'm putting lot of money and time into these braces so I better take care of them as best as I can.

I've found GUM Softpicks to be much easier than traditional floss. They're little floss picks, but very slim and with a rubbery, bristled end. I can usually get them into the tiniest spaces, and they don't shred. Don't know if that would help with the molar bands, but it may be worth a shot.

I try to floss once a day! But with the threaders I find if you tie one end of the floss on the lop part, it dont come off and its alot easier!!! Flossing sucks!
RC

I've found GUM Softpicks to be much easier than traditional floss. They're little floss picks, but very slim and with a rubbery, bristled end. I can usually get them into the tiniest spaces, and they don't shred. Don't know if that would help with the molar bands, but it may be worth a shot.

I don't think I've heard of the threaders, but I've seen the softpicks...and they just might be able to work. Since I got my braces 4 days ago, I haven't flossed, but I'm using the proxy brush and listerine. I should get the tartar control one like another member mentioned above.

Like Bianca, my teeth loosened sufficiently in a week or so, and I am now able to floss all the spaces.

I try to floss nightly. I use a waterpik. And I brush well with two different brushes - one a regular-sized thing that is made for brushing braced teeth, and the other a very small kiddy toothbrush that is great for getting into tight spaces.

I agree w/everyone-the threader floss (crest) is the best! I use 2 pieces of floss a night...the crest one and the one by oral b which is a 3 in one floss: the threader, the "cotton floss" good for spaces, and regular floss at the end. I have major spaces constantly from teeth moving around and find this gets all areas. I have a waterpik and that doesn't seem to do a good job compared to floss. Also, my dentist told me that if you use the waterpik alot (1/day or more) then it can cause gum recession. I probably use waterpik 1/wk (or if I want an easy way out of flossing!). I have an RPE appliance and the 2 molars on each side are actually bonded together and there's no physical way to get the floss in the space. Maybe you're back molars are bonded together? I asked him about that and he said I couldn't floss cause they were bonded together. I just hope nothing has gotten in there as I literally haven't flossed those teeth in 1 1/2 yrs & counting.