scared to floss
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scared to floss
So I've attempted to floss with only to accomplish flossing between 2 or 3 teeth lol...some teeth feel so tight and the pressure makes me feel like im going to move my tooth or make it pop out! lol...I guess I just get scared I'm going to mess up something but I get upset the longer I am not flossing my teeth! Feel like I'm neglecting them but get discouraged everytime I try to floss...I never feel like I'm doing it right or like its going to take hours....help?
The first night I attempted to floss I nearly cried from the pain and aggravation! I honestly thought I'd never be able to do it. But since it's so important, I tried again and it does get easier. I use Oral-B Super Floss, which is amazing. I found regular floss and threaders too difficult. My teeth are super close together and I need to really force the floss between some teeth. The Super Floss has an attached threader on one end, then some soft fuzzy floss and then regular floss, all in one long string. On my really sensitive teeth I just use the fuzzy part but I try to use the regular part wherever I can. It takes about 6 minutes to do both the top and bottom but it's worth it! Every night there is food stuck somewhere.
clear Radiance brackets top and bottom
Don't panic JackJack, it does honestly get easier. I know precisely the feeling you're talking about, I couldn't work out whether to pull the floss backwards or forwards, it hurt sooooooo much, and really felt like my teeth were going to move about all over the place.
I tried Oral-B Superfloss, after so many reported that it was be easier to put under the archwire, but I found the actual floss bit really uncomfortable to use as it's quite textured and difficult to slide between really crowded teeth. I abandoned it after 2 days and bought my usual floss - Oral-B satin tape. A few days perseverence with this paid off, and now flossing isn't a problem. The tape is really flat and smooth, so it passes more easily between the teeth. I am struggling a bit getting to the back teeth, so you might find you need a threader (I can manage the front teeth without one).
Give this a shot, and hopefully you will not look back
SK
I tried Oral-B Superfloss, after so many reported that it was be easier to put under the archwire, but I found the actual floss bit really uncomfortable to use as it's quite textured and difficult to slide between really crowded teeth. I abandoned it after 2 days and bought my usual floss - Oral-B satin tape. A few days perseverence with this paid off, and now flossing isn't a problem. The tape is really flat and smooth, so it passes more easily between the teeth. I am struggling a bit getting to the back teeth, so you might find you need a threader (I can manage the front teeth without one).
Give this a shot, and hopefully you will not look back
SK
Follow my braces story so far http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=24816
then: http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=26664
then: http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=26664
Yep I went through this too, but it does go away after awhile.
I found that the tape went through much easier and with almost no shredding than the other floss.
I was told that someone makes a no shred floss but I've never looked for it.
My friend told me when I was going through this to try putting ambusol (sp?) on my teeth before trying to floss. You might try that.
I found that the tape went through much easier and with almost no shredding than the other floss.
I was told that someone makes a no shred floss but I've never looked for it.
My friend told me when I was going through this to try putting ambusol (sp?) on my teeth before trying to floss. You might try that.
**Brace Day was September 22 - Ouch!**
**Member of the AW TADA club**
**Member of the AW TADA club**
There are several products that help take the aggrivation out of flossing your braced teeth:
Glide Threader Floss
SturdyFloss
FlossFish Flossing Tool
as well as the good 'ol standby BridgeAid plastic threader needle.
SuperFloss and Thornton Floss are quite thick, so if your teeth are very tight you may not have very good luck with those products at first. If you have a lot of space between your teeth, they're easier to use.
Glide Threader Floss
SturdyFloss
FlossFish Flossing Tool
as well as the good 'ol standby BridgeAid plastic threader needle.
SuperFloss and Thornton Floss are quite thick, so if your teeth are very tight you may not have very good luck with those products at first. If you have a lot of space between your teeth, they're easier to use.
I'm the owner/admin of this site. Had ceramic uppers, metal lowers ~3 years in my early 40's. Now in Hawley retainers at night!
wow, Mery, thanks for all that info and the pictures! I get my wire on in about 2 weeks and I was wondering how I was going to floss. I've always had problems in some areas, but since I was banded, I think those took up all the extra room I had and now I can't get floss between any teeth! I keep trying though. I'm hoping that once U get my extractions done and the wires on, it will get a bit easier as my teeth start to move.
- PuppySmiles
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- Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 10:56 pm
Yep - I have the same trouble with flossing!
I'm just 5 days in, and trying to floss is T-I-G-H-T! I tried some of the SuperFloss, which was great for having the stiff end - but my teeth shredded the floss.
After some more experimentation, I find that Glide tape and threaders work for my supertight teeth. I hope you find the right thing that works for you!
I'm just 5 days in, and trying to floss is T-I-G-H-T! I tried some of the SuperFloss, which was great for having the stiff end - but my teeth shredded the floss.
After some more experimentation, I find that Glide tape and threaders work for my supertight teeth. I hope you find the right thing that works for you!
YES< you still need to try to floss, even when they hurt. That being said: If your teeth are that ouchie (and they probably will be at some point), just use a waterpik if flossing hurts so bad that you can't/won't do it! Just keep the pressure low (like 2-4 on the dial). No flossing do-dad will really help when your teeth hurt like that. They will STILL hurt until they have re-adjusted themselves. Not to mention no matter what brush you use and all the floss in the world still leaves junk behind that a waterpik always finds.
- PuppySmiles
- Posts: 199
- Joined: Wed Aug 27, 2008 10:56 pm
But there's a good side to all this: after I floss, my teeth feel like they've made more progress! It feels as though the force of the wires can only overcome so much force, and the teeth can't slide against each other very well. But after I've (strugglingly) slid a piece of floss between the two teeth, it seems to have repositioned the teeth against each other by the tiniest bit.
So I think it helps!
So I think it helps!
I remeber those first few weeks flossing was TOUGH! You'll get it but it just hurts a lot along the way. I use Crest Glide Threader Floss--it's the best I've tried so far. Good luck and keep working at it--I know it's rough at first but it will get better.
Metal Braces: August 18, 2006-January 14, 2009
Essix-type Retainers: January 14, 2009--present
Essix-type Retainers: January 14, 2009--present
I tried the superfloss stuff and the threaded tip was great but i couldn't get that floss through my teeth. So i stuck a bit of tape on the tip of my usual waxed floss and twisted the tape up and was able to then get the floss up through the wires easy. But i can't floss around my molar bands because it shreds the floss and it took me over an hour to get the shredded floss out of there. Not going through that again!
- signingsunflower
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Hey Jack Jack,
I know what you mean. Flossing between some of those puppies really, really hurt!
How do you guys remove the floss from between your teeth? I think my ortho told me to pull it all the way through but that sure does hurt. Can't I just gently pull the floss down? It bumps the wire a little bit but sure doesn't hurt so bad.
I know what you mean. Flossing between some of those puppies really, really hurt!
How do you guys remove the floss from between your teeth? I think my ortho told me to pull it all the way through but that sure does hurt. Can't I just gently pull the floss down? It bumps the wire a little bit but sure doesn't hurt so bad.
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Initial Consult/Molds: 9/10/08
8 Spacers: 10/17/08
Brace Day: 10/24/08
First Adjustment: 12/5/08
Sentence: 2-3 years
Initial Consult/Molds: 9/10/08
8 Spacers: 10/17/08
Brace Day: 10/24/08
First Adjustment: 12/5/08
Sentence: 2-3 years
I didn't. I meant the threaded floss was great for making it easy to get the floss up through the wires. But it won't work its way through my teeth. Even the bottom arch that hasn't been braced yet was still impossible to get it through. Yet, i can triple up my waxed floss and get it through no problem.Meryaten wrote:As posted above, don't try to thread the floss between the teeth - thread it under the wire only, then floss normally.UGHBRACES wrote:I tried the superfloss stuff and the threaded tip was great but i couldn't get that floss through my teeth.
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I have no problems with getting the threaded Glide floss through, but I'm also still unable to get the Superfloss between some teeth. The Superfloss seems a bit more textured and maybe a bit thicker, but it's handy for those gaps, whereas the Glide floss doesn't cut it for some of my spaces -- it slips right past the debris and I cut my gums if I wiggle it around.
So I have both and switch from night to night. I figure it's better to get all spots every other day, rather than missing some all of the time.
So I have both and switch from night to night. I figure it's better to get all spots every other day, rather than missing some all of the time.