I've had the same thing happen to me—flossing always made my gums feel sore, even when I was super gentle. Switching to interdental brushes was a bit of a game changer, honestly. At first, I just grabbed whatever brand was on sale, but then I noticed some brands felt smoother or softer somehow. The size definitely mattered for me too... the smaller ones seemed gentler and easier to maneuver without poking myself (ouch). But everyone's gums are different, so it might take some experimenting.
Also, don't stress too much if your gums are acting weird right now. When I first started paying attention to mine, I got super anxious about every little thing. Turns out, gums can be pretty sensitive and react easily to changes in routine or products. Just give yourself some time to adjust and see what feels best for you. You're already doing great by noticing and trying new things—hang in there!
Same here, flossing always felt like I was punishing my gums no matter how careful I was. I switched to those tiny interdental brushes too, mostly because they were on clearance at first (gotta love a good deal, right?). Turns out they're way easier on my gums—especially the smaller ones. But honestly, even with those, my gums acted up for a bit at first. I think they just needed time to adjust to something new.
Funny thing though, I once grabbed a pack of brushes that were slightly too big without realizing it... felt like I was trying to park a truck in a compact spot. Lesson learned: size definitely matters, lol. Anyway, don't sweat it too much if your gums are being drama queens right now. Mine settled down after a week or two. Just keep experimenting till you find your sweet spot.
I've actually had the opposite experience—those interdental brushes felt harsher on my gums than floss. Maybe I was using them wrong or picked the wrong size... might give them another shot though, seeing your experience. Guess everyone's gums have their own preferences, huh?
I've had similar issues actually, those interdental brushes felt kinda rough at first. Turns out, sizing really matters. The first time I tried them, I accidentally picked a size too big, and my gums were not happy about it—felt like I was scraping them instead of cleaning. After chatting with my dentist, she suggested starting with the smallest size and working my way up slowly. Made a huge difference for me. I still alternate between floss and interdental brushes depending on how my gums feel that day. You're right though, everyone's gums react differently, so maybe give a smaller size a shot if you decide to try again. Might make things a bit more comfortable.
Yeah, sizing is definitely key. I remember when I first started using interdental brushes—I was pretty anxious about hurting my gums, so I went for the smallest size right away. Even then, it felt weirdly scratchy at first, and I panicked a bit, thinking I'd done something wrong. My dentist reassured me that some sensitivity at the start is normal, but honestly, I still felt uneasy. Eventually, I decided to switch back to flossing for a while, just to give my gums a break.
After a couple of weeks, curiosity got the better of me and I cautiously gave the brushes another shot. This time around, things felt way smoother—maybe my gums just needed time to adjust? Still, I'm always careful and switch back to floss whenever things feel off. Everyone's gums seem to have their own moods, honestly... so I totally get your hesitation about trying again.
