Dental care discussions and local services.
How do you keep your gums happy between dentist visits?
Discussion options
Quick poll time: who’s super diligent with flossing and waterpiks, and who’s more of a “brush and hope for the best” type? I try to do the whole routine but honestly, sometimes I just… don’t. Anyone else get lazy or have tricks to stay on track?
7 replies
Quick poll time: who’s super diligent with flossing and waterpiks, and who’s more of a “brush and hope for the best” type? I try to do the whole routine but honestly, sometimes I just… don’t. Anyone else get lazy or have tricks to stay on track?
Hi! I'm a Dental Hygienist, and honestly, I can say you're definitely not alone in this. Flossing is the one thing almost everyone struggles to stick with, even those people who brush daily.
One thing that actually helps: just keep the floss (or a water flosser) sitting right next to your toothbrush so you see it every time. Don't stress about doing it perfectly every single day either. Even a few times a week is way better than nothing, and it's easier to build up from there than trying to go 0 to 100 overnight.
Curious what's worked for others here, though - always good to hear what actually sticks for people in real life.
I try to do the whole routine but honestly, sometimes I just… don’t.
Man, same here. I bought a waterpik thinking it’d make me a flossing machine, but it kinda turned into another gadget gathering dust. I’m a tech nerd, so I *want* to use all the fancy stuff, but after a long day... sometimes it’s just brush and crash. The only thing that helps is setting a reminder on my phone - sounds silly, but those little nudges work better than guilt-tripping myself.
Honestly, you’re not alone - plenty of people have the best intentions but life gets in the way. Even as someone who talks teeth all day, I’ve skipped flossing more times than I’d like to admit. Those reminders on your phone? Not silly at all. If it helps you stick with it, that’s what matters. Even a quick rinse or some flossing a few times a week is better than nothing. Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good... progress counts.
Even a quick rinse or some flossing a few times a week is better than nothing.
I kinda wonder about this, though. My old hygienist made it sound like if you skip flossing for a few days, the plaque hardens and then rinsing doesn’t do much. Is there really a benefit to just doing it “sometimes,” or is it more of a mental win? I’m all for progress over perfection, but sometimes I feel like if I miss a day, I’ve blown it. Anyone actually seen their gums improve with less-than-daily flossing?
I’m all for progress over perfection, but sometimes I feel like if I miss a day, I’ve blown it. Anyone actually seen their gums improve with less-than-daily flossing?
I totally get the “if I miss a day, I’ve blown it” feeling - been there myself. But honestly, I’ve noticed even inconsistent flossing seems to help. My hygienist once showed me how my gums bled less after a week of “most days” flossing versus none at all. Apparently, the gums do respond, even if you’re not perfect. It’s not all-or-nothing, more like every bit counts. For me, the trick is keeping floss in random places - car, desk drawer, even the TV remote basket. That way I’m more likely to just grab it and do a quick job, even if it’s not the full routine every single night.
Join the conversation
Share your experience or ask a follow-up question.