Popcorn was my nemesis too, honestly... it always found a way to wedge itself right under a bracket or between wires. For me, anything with tiny seeds—like strawberries or even sesame on bread—seemed to make things worse. I kept worrying I was missing something in my brushing routine, but my ortho said it’s just part of the deal sometimes. Did you ever try switching up your toothpaste or mouthwash to see if that helped? I went through a few before finding one that didn’t make my gums even angrier.
Popcorn and braces just don’t mix, do they? I had the same issue with seeds—chia, sesame, even raspberry bits would get stuck in the worst places. My gums got puffy more than once, and I started to wonder if I was doing something wrong. Switching toothpaste actually made a difference for me, but oddly enough, some “sensitive” formulas made my gums sting more. Ended up using a really plain fluoride one and a gentle mouthwash—nothing fancy. Floss threaders helped too, though I’ll admit I got lazy some nights...