Some days I just wanted to eat soup and avoid the whole mess entirely.
Totally get this. I’m right there with you—sometimes I stare at my toothbrush and just sigh, wondering if it’s worth all the effort for one more round of brushing and poking around with those little brushes. The pro cleaning beforehand helped my nerves a lot too, even though I still worry about missing spots. I keep telling myself that as long as I’m trying, it’s better than giving up completely. And hey, soup isn’t so bad on those lazy days…
I hear you on the soup days. There were weeks before my braces when I pretty much lived on soft stuff, because the idea of flossing around sore gums (and paying for yet another cleaning) made me want to hide under a blanket. I did end up going for the pro cleaning, mostly because my dentist gave me that “it’s your call, but…” look and I caved. Not gonna lie, the bill stung more than the scraping, but it did make me feel better about starting with a clean slate.
That said, I’ve definitely had days where I just did my best with my regular brush and called it good enough. The little brushes are nice until you drop one down the drain—then it’s just another reason to eat pudding for dinner. In the end, I figure as long as I’m making an effort (and not skipping everything), it’s a win.
Not gonna lie, the bill stung more than the scraping, but it did make me feel better about starting with a clean slate.
That’s exactly what tripped me up. My dentist recommended a cleaning before braces, but when I saw the estimate, I nearly backed out of the whole thing. I ended up doing my best at home—extra brushing, mouthwash, and those little flossers (which I kept losing in the sink). Part of me still wonders if I should’ve just forked over the money for peace of mind, but honestly, my teeth survived just fine. Still, every time I eat soup for dinner, I remember why I was so anxious about the whole process.
I get where you’re coming from. The price tag made me pause, too. In my case, I weighed it out step by step: first, I asked about what was actually included in the cleaning, then checked if insurance would chip in (it didn’t, of course). Ended up going for the professional cleaning anyway—mostly because I figured if there was any hidden tartar, I’d rather deal with it before braces went on. That said, I still doubled down on my own brushing and flossing at home. Honestly, it’s a toss-up... but for me, having that “reset” made me less anxious about stuff getting trapped later.
I was in the same boat—almost skipped the pro cleaning because of the cost, but ended up going for it. For me, it boiled down to not wanting to risk any buildup messing with my braces later. Plus, I’d read that some stuff (like hardened tartar) just doesn’t budge with regular brushing or even those fancy electric toothbrushes.
That said, I’m always curious if anyone’s had luck with at-home plaque removers or those ultrasonic gadgets you see online. I’ve seen mixed reviews and honestly, I was a bit skeptical about using anything too aggressive before getting braces. Did anyone here try those DIY tools and actually see a difference? Or did they just end up being a waste of money? Sometimes I wonder if I overpaid for the peace of mind...