I always felt like I was going to slice my gums open with regular floss, especially when I was tired and just wanted to crawl into bed.
That’s exactly how I felt for years. After I got a bridge put in, string floss became almost impossible—kept getting stuck or shredding. Floss picks were a game changer, even if my old dentist grumbled about them. My gums stopped bleeding so much, too. I figure, like your hygienist said, “consistent” is better than “perfect.” At this point, whatever keeps me flossing wins the day.
Totally relate to the string floss drama—half the time I felt like I was auditioning for a slasher movie, not getting ready for bed. When my dentist gave me “the look” about floss picks, I felt weirdly guilty, but honestly? If it means I actually floss instead of just pretending I did, I’ll take it. Picks are just so much less hassle, especially when you’re already tired. My gums have been way happier too, even if I’m probably not winning any gold stars from my dentist.
Totally get what you mean about the “slasher movie” vibe—when I had braces, string floss was straight-up impossible. I’d spend forever threading it around the wires, and by the end my gums were a mess. Floss picks actually saved my sanity, even if my ortho side-eyed me a bit. Did anyone else find those little interdental brushes helpful too, or am I just weirdly obsessed with dental gadgets?
I totally get the obsession with dental gadgets—those little brushes were actually a lifesaver for me with braces. I felt like they got to places floss just couldn't, especially around the brackets. Did you ever try those tiny spiral ones? Sometimes I wondered if I was overdoing it, but honestly, my teeth felt way cleaner. Was it just me, or did anyone else get a weird sense of satisfaction using them?
Those spiral brushes are oddly satisfying, right? I used to have a stash of them when I had braces, and honestly, they were the only thing that made me feel like I was actually winning the battle against plaque. Floss just never seemed to get around the brackets properly—always felt like I was missing spots. The little brushes, though, you could really feel them working.
I did wonder sometimes if I was being a bit obsessive, going over every bracket twice, but my hygienist never complained. In fact, my checkups were way smoother during that time. I still use the tiny brushes now for some tight spots, even though the braces are long gone. There’s something kind of addictive about seeing those little bits come out... gross, but also weirdly satisfying. Maybe it's just a dental nerd thing, but I totally get it.
Not sure if you can really overdo it unless you’re going wild and scrubbing your gums raw. Otherwise, I’d say keep at it if it works for you.
