"Anyone else find flossing with braces a total nightmare at first?"
Totally feel you on this... floss threaders drove me nuts at the beginning. Interdental brushes were a lifesaver for me too, though it took a few tries before I stopped poking myself, haha. Hang in there—it gets easier!
"Interdental brushes were a lifesaver for me too, though it took a few tries before I stopped poking myself, haha."
Haha, this was totally my experience too. Honestly, flossing with braces felt like some cruel dental obstacle course at first. I remember standing in front of the mirror, threader in hand, thinking, "How on earth am I supposed to do this every single day?" It was like threading a needle blindfolded—except the needle was my own mouth and the thread kept slipping out.
I tried those interdental brushes as well, and while they did help, I still managed to jab my gums more times than I'd like to admit. My dentist must've sensed my frustration because she eventually introduced me to a water flosser. At first, I thought it sounded gimmicky—like one of those late-night TV infomercials—but honestly, it turned out to be a game changer. It took a bit of practice (and a few accidental water sprays all over the bathroom mirror), but once I got the hang of it, flossing became way less of a chore.
I still used regular floss occasionally just to be thorough, but the water flosser made daily cleaning so much easier. Plus, it felt oddly satisfying blasting away food particles after meals... kinda gross but weirdly enjoyable? 😂
Anyway, hang in there—it really does get better with time. And hey, if you haven't tried a water flosser yet, maybe give it a shot. Might save you from more gum-poking adventures!
"Honestly, flossing with braces felt like some cruel dental obstacle course at first."
Haha, I can definitely relate to this. Even as someone who regularly advises patients on proper flossing techniques, I found braces incredibly challenging myself. Interdental brushes did help, but I was always anxious about accidentally hurting my gums. It's reassuring to hear others had similar struggles—makes me feel less alone in my awkward mirror battles... Glad you found something that works for you!
Totally get what you're saying about interdental brushes—I tried them too, but honestly found them kinda awkward at first. One thing that really helped me was using a water flosser. It felt weird initially (like a mini pressure washer for your teeth, lol), but after a few tries it became way easier than threading floss through braces. Definitely less stressful on my gums too... Maybe worth giving it a shot if you're still struggling?
I had a similar experience with interdental brushes—felt like I was wrestling with tiny pipe cleaners at first, lol. But honestly, the water flosser didn't really click with me either. Maybe I'm just clumsy, but I ended up spraying water all over my bathroom mirror the first few times. Eventually, I got the hang of regular floss picks designed for braces—they're a bit easier to maneuver and less messy for me. Might be worth trying those too if the water flosser feels too intense at first...
