Honestly, I thought my gums were a lost cause after years of ignoring the dentist (bad move). But after a pretty intense cleaning and sticking to flossing (finally), they’re looking way better. Anyone else manage to reverse things? What actually worked for you?
I can totally relate to the whole “lost cause” feeling. I skipped cleanings for way too long because, honestly, the cost freaked me out and I kept putting it off. When I finally went back, the hygienist was... not thrilled, let’s just say. They did a deep cleaning (I think it was called scaling?) and it hurt, but my gums stopped bleeding after a couple weeks of actually flossing. I still get nervous about the bills, but doing the basics at home has saved me from more expensive stuff so far. Not perfect, but definitely better than before.
When I finally went back, the hygienist was... not thrilled, let’s just say. They did a deep cleaning (I think it was called scaling?) and it hurt, but my gums stopped bleeding after a couple weeks of actually flossing.
You’re definitely not alone in that boat. Tons of people put off cleanings for all sorts of reasons—cost is a huge one, and honestly, dental anxiety is right up there too. The important thing is you made it back, and that’s way more common than folks realize.
Scaling (yep, that’s what it’s called) can be uncomfortable, especially if your gums are inflamed to start with. But that “gums stopped bleeding after a couple weeks” part? That’s a classic sign things are turning around. Bleeding gums are basically your body waving a red flag about inflammation—once you start removing the buildup and get into the flossing habit, they almost always calm down.
Here’s something I see a lot: people get discouraged because they think they’ve already messed up too much to fix it. But gum health is surprisingly forgiving if you catch it before bone loss sets in. Even if you’ve skipped years of cleanings, regular brushing and flossing can make a massive difference. It sounds simple, but those basics really are the foundation.
About the bills—yeah, dental care isn’t cheap in most places. But you nailed it: doing the at-home stuff religiously can help you dodge way more expensive treatments down the line. I’ve seen folks who went from barely brushing to getting on top of things at home and only needing routine maintenance visits after their initial deep clean.
One thing I always tell people who feel like they’re “not perfect”: honestly, nobody is perfect with this stuff all the time. Life gets busy or stressful or expensive, and sometimes teeth take a back seat. But every bit helps. Even if you miss a day or two here and there, just getting back into the groove makes a difference.
If you ever feel like you’re slipping again, just remember how much better your mouth felt once you got through that rough patch. Sometimes that’s enough motivation to keep picking up the floss—even when it feels like a chore.
I get what you’re saying about the basics, but honestly, flossing alone didn’t cut it for me. I was brushing and flossing like a champ and my gums still bled until I switched to one of those water flossers. Total game changer. Maybe it’s just me, but sometimes the “just brush and floss” advice feels a little too simple for stubborn cases. Anyone else need to level up their routine before things actually improved?
Anyone else need to level up their routine before things actually improved?
I’m with you on the “basics aren’t always enough” thing. I tried every trick in the book—floss, special toothpaste, even those little interdental brushes. Still had bleeding and soreness until my hygienist pushed me to try a water flosser too. I was super skeptical (and honestly, a bit freaked out by the noise), but it actually helped a lot. I still get anxious before checkups, though, because I never totally trust that things won’t slide backwards. Guess I’m always waiting for the other shoe to drop, but for now, sticking to this routine seems to keep things under control.
