I totally get that—after my braces came off, I felt like I had to relearn how to brush and floss. It’s wild how much easier it is without all that metal, but I still catch myself overthinking it sometimes. I do the basics too, but I’ll admit, I splurge on those fancy flossers every now and then. Maybe it’s just habit from the braces days... but yeah, not having to schedule extra cleanings is a huge relief for both my sanity and my bank account.
My kid just got their braces off a few months ago, and honestly, it’s been a whole process teaching them how to switch back to “normal” brushing. I still remind them step-by-step—especially about not skipping flossing, since that was such a pain with brackets. It’s definitely less stressful now, though...and yeah, not having to pay for all those extra cleanings is a win in my book.
Getting my braces off was honestly the best dental milestone—felt like I got a whole new set of teeth. My dentist kept pushing for those extra cleanings while I had them, but now I’m back to the usual twice-a-year thing. I still get paranoid about missing spots, though... Do you think all those extra cleanings really made a difference, or was it just overkill? My wallet definitely prefers the “normal” schedule.
I totally get that paranoia about missing spots—braces made me hyper-aware of every little thing stuck between my teeth. I’m actually just starting out with mine, and the whole “extra cleanings” thing has me kind of anxious. My dentist is already hinting that I’ll need to come in more often once the wires go on, and honestly, I’m not sure if it’s just a money thing or if there’s a real reason.
I keep thinking about how much stuff gets trapped in all those nooks and crannies, though. Like, I can barely handle flossing with regular teeth—how am I supposed to get around brackets and wires? My cousin had braces a while ago and skipped a few of those extra cleanings. She ended up with some white spots and a couple cavities, so now I’m extra nervous about slacking off. At the same time, my insurance doesn’t really cover more than two cleanings a year, so it’s basically out of pocket if I want to go more often... which isn’t exactly cheap.
It does feel a little overkill at first, but maybe it’s one of those things where you only realize it was worth it after the fact? I guess I’d rather pay for an extra cleaning than deal with fillings or stains later, but it’s definitely a struggle when you’re watching your budget. Not to mention the whole “dentist anxiety” thing—like, who actually wants to sit in that chair more than they have to?
Still, I keep telling myself it’s temporary. Once the braces are off, maybe I’ll be less obsessive, but right now I feel like I’ll never stop checking my teeth in every mirror I pass. If you found that going back to the regular schedule worked out for you, that’s actually reassuring. Maybe I’ll survive this without emptying my bank account or losing my mind... fingers crossed.
I totally get where you’re coming from—braces seriously turn brushing and flossing into a whole production. I see a lot of people struggle with the same thing, especially when insurance only covers so much. Honestly, I’ve seen folks who skip the extra cleanings end up with those white spots you mentioned, but others manage just fine with a solid at-home routine. Do you use any special tools for cleaning around your brackets, like those little interdental brushes? I’m always curious if people find them helpful or just another thing to stress about.
