That brings back memories... I remember thinking my gums were just going to stay puffy forever. For me, the trick was switching to a super soft brush and not rushing through. Water flossers are great, but I still swear by those little interdental brushes for the tight spots. Funny how your mouth eventually adapts, even though it feels impossible at first.
Yeah, I totally get it—when my gums first puffed up after flossing, I was convinced I’d somehow made things worse. It’s wild how sensitive everything can feel at the start. What helped me (after a couple panicky Google sessions) was slowing way down and actually watching myself in the mirror, making sure I wasn’t just jabbing at my gums in a hurry.
I tried a water flosser too, but honestly, it felt more like a mini car wash than actual cleaning? Maybe I just never got the hang of it. Those tiny interdental brushes were a game changer for me, especially once I figured out which size didn’t feel like medieval torture.
One thing that surprised me—my dentist said to expect a bit of puffiness at first, because your gums are basically getting used to being cleaned properly for the first time in ages. That actually made me feel better about sticking with it, even when it looked kinda angry in there.
It’s weirdly satisfying now to see how much healthier everything looks. Never thought I’d say that about my gums...
I totally relate to the gum drama. When I first got braces, flossing was a nightmare—my gums would puff up and bleed and I was convinced I’d messed something up. My ortho told me it was actually normal at first, but that didn’t stop me from panicking every time I saw blood. I tried those little brushes too, but half the time I picked a size that felt like I was poking myself on purpose. It did get better after a couple weeks, though. Now it’s almost routine, but I still get nervous if anything looks off.
I remember thinking my gums were auditioning for a horror movie the first few weeks with braces—puffy, red, and bleeding at the drop of a hat. Honestly, I was convinced I’d done something terribly wrong. My dentist said it’s just the gums getting used to the extra cleaning, but that didn’t really make me feel better in the moment. Those tiny brushes are a whole other story... I always felt like Goldilocks trying to find the right size, and usually ended up with one that felt like a medieval torture device. It did settle down after a while, though. Now, if I see even a hint of pink, I still get that old panic, but I try to remind myself it’s not always a disaster—sometimes it’s just a rough day for my gums.
I swear my gums had their own drama series when I first got braces. One day they’d be all calm and normal, the next it was like they were staging a protest—puffy, sore, and bleeding if I even looked at them wrong. The little brushes drove me nuts too; half the time I’d pick one that felt way too big and end up poking myself. Only thing that helped me was saltwater rinses at night and just being extra gentle, even if it meant cleaning took forever. Eventually things chilled out... but yeah, the sight of pink still freaks me out a bit.
