Water flossers are a game changer, especially with retainers—mine blasts out stuff I didn’t even know was stuck.
Totally agree—threaders always left my gums sore and bleeding. Switched to a water flosser last year, and it’s made mornings way less gross. If you ever get canker sores, it helps with those too.
I’ve been debating whether to get a water flosser for weeks, and this is making me lean toward it. I’m still using those little threader things for my permanent retainer and honestly, it’s such a hassle every morning. I never feel like I’m getting everything out, and my gums always look kind of angry afterward. Sometimes I even skip flossing just because it feels like too much work (which is probably not great, but… yeah).
The canker sore thing caught my eye too. I get them pretty often—like, if I accidentally stab my gum with the threader or even just from stress? Didn’t realize a water flosser could help with that. Do you just use it on the lowest setting so it doesn’t hurt? Or is there a trick to not making the sore worse? I’m kind of nervous about blasting an open sore with water, but maybe that’s just me overthinking.
Step-by-step, how do you actually use one with a retainer? Do you aim right at the wire, or underneath? And does it make a mess everywhere? My bathroom is tiny and the last thing I need is water all over the mirror before work.
I also smoke (trying to quit, but mornings are rough), so morning breath is a whole saga for me. If this helps even a little bit with that, I’d be willing to try it. The gross taste after waking up is honestly one of the worst parts of having a retainer and smoking combined.
If anyone’s got tips for using these things without ending up soaked or making your gums bleed more, let me know. Just trying to avoid another embarrassing dentist visit where they tell me “you really need to floss better.”
I switched to a water flosser last year after getting fed up with threaders and honestly, it’s a game changer for permanent retainers. For canker sores, I keep it on the lowest setting and aim just around—not directly onto—the sore. It stings less that way. With the retainer, I kind of angle the tip along the gum line and then under the wire, moving slowly so I don’t miss spots. Yeah, it can get messy if you’re not careful… I lean over the sink and keep my mouth almost closed around the tip to avoid splash-back. Definitely helps with morning breath too—smoking or not, it gets rid of that gross film way better than regular flossing ever did for me. Bleeding’s less of an issue now that my gums have gotten used to it, but at first, I took breaks if they felt sore.
I keep eyeing those water flossers, but the price tag just makes me nervous. I get that they work better, especially with retainers, but I’m always worried about spending a bunch and then not using it. Anyone try a cheaper off-brand one? I’m tired of my gums bleeding every morning, but I also don’t want to waste money if it’s just hype...
I’ve been in the same boat, honestly. I have a retainer too and regular flossing just made my gums sore and bloody—kinda gross, but it’s true. I finally caved and got a cheap water flosser off Amazon (think it was like $30?). It’s not fancy, but it actually works way better than I expected. My gums bleed way less now. Still feels weird to use sometimes, but it’s not just hype, at least for me. If you’re anxious about the price, maybe try one of the off-brands first?
