Finally flossing around my implants without fear - anyone else get nervous at first?

Title: Finally flossing around my implants without fear - anyone else get nervous at first?

I hear you on the third hand thing... I still tell patients if they figure out how to grow one, let me know. The “smart floss” idea cracks me up, though - imagine the app notifications? “You missed a spot between 14 and 15.” Not sure I’d want my phone nagging me about that, honestly.

But yeah, cheap floss can totally work. The fancy stuff is nice, but sometimes it just shreds and gets stuck. Ever had that happen? Nothing like fishing out a wad of floss from under an implant crown to make you question your life choices. I’ve actually seen people get so frustrated they just give up and go back to mouthwash... which, unfortunately, doesn’t really cut it for implants.

Here’s something I’m curious about: anyone use those little interdental brushes instead of floss? I feel like half my patients swear by them, and the other half can’t stand them - either they’re too pokey or too flimsy. Personally, I think they’re great for certain spots, but sometimes they just don’t fit right.

And does anyone else feel like the fear of “messing up” around an implant is way bigger than the reality? Like, you’re convinced you’ll somehow pull the whole thing out with a piece of floss, but after doing it a few times you realize it’s not that dramatic.

Curious if anyone’s found a weird hack or tool that makes it easier. I’ve seen people use all sorts of stuff - floss threaders, soft picks, even water flossers (which spray everything except the actual spot you want). Anyone actually stick with water flossers long-term, or do they end up collecting dust with the bread maker?

I actually have a totally different take on the water flosser thing. My kid has an implant and, honestly, the water flosser has been a lifesaver for us. I know people say it sprays everywhere (and yeah, sometimes it does), but when you’re trying to help a squirmy preteen keep things clean without turning it into a wrestling match, that little gadget is way easier than floss or those pokey brushes. We’ve stuck with it for a couple years now - it’s not collecting dust yet.

I get what you mean about being nervous, though. The first few times we tried to floss around the implant, I was convinced we’d mess something up and end up back at the dentist. It really does get less scary once you settle into a routine. Still, I’m not sold on the cheap floss - had one too many “floss stuck under the crown” moments and I’m just not going back there.

Soft picks are hit or miss for us. They work in some spots but other times they just bend or get stuck. Maybe it’s just our technique... or lack thereof.