That feeling after a pro cleaning is just unreal—like, I always run my tongue over my teeth for days after because they’re so smooth. Totally get what you mean about gadgets not quite measuring up. I tried every at-home tool I could get my hands on when I had braces (still have a drawer full of random brushes and picks), but regular floss was the only thing that really worked for me too. Water flossers felt nice, but I’d still find stuff stuck around the brackets, especially after popcorn or anything sticky.
My gums definitely got sore sometimes, especially if I got a little too enthusiastic with the flossing. It’s hard to know if you’re being thorough or just going overboard. My ortho said a little soreness is normal, but if you’re bleeding a lot or it hurts for days, it might be too much. I started using one of those super soft “sulcus” brushes around my gumline, and that seemed to help without making things worse.
Honestly, nothing beats that fresh-from-the-dentist clean, but I guess it’s all about finding what works for your mouth. Braces are just a whole different ballgame...
“I tried every at-home tool I could get my hands on when I had braces (still have a drawer full of random brushes and picks), but regular floss was the only thing that really worked for me too.”
Same here—my bathroom looks like a tech graveyard for dental gadgets. I went down the rabbit hole with water flossers, sonic brushes, even those tiny interdental brushes. Water flosser felt cool (literally), but honestly, it just blasted stuff around without actually getting it *all* out from under the wires. The pro clean is next-level, though. I swear they must have some secret ultrasonic thing we can’t buy. DIY is fine for maintenance, but nothing beats that dentist polish.
We went through this with my kid last year—honestly, I thought the water flosser would be a game changer, but it mostly just made a mess and didn’t get everything out. What actually helped was a pro cleaning right before the braces went on. The hygienist got into all the spots we’d been missing, which made me feel way better about starting off with a clean slate. Now we just do our best at home (threader floss is our go-to), but nothing at home really compares to that dentist polish, I agree.
That’s interesting about the water flosser—I had the same hope, but honestly, my bathroom ended up soaked and I still found stuff stuck between teeth. We did a pro cleaning too, right before my daughter’s braces went on, and it felt like such a relief starting with everything spotless. I’m curious, how often do you go for cleanings now that the braces are on? I’m torn between sticking to every six months or maybe bumping it up more often since it’s so much harder to keep things clean at home...
I totally get what you mean about the water flosser—mine turned into a bit of a bathroom disaster too. When my grandkids had braces, their dentist suggested cleanings every three or four months instead of just twice a year. At first, I thought it was overkill, but honestly, it made a difference. There’s just so much that gets stuck with all that hardware. It’s a bit of a hassle, but I always felt better knowing we were staying ahead of any problems.
