Interdental brushes are a total lifesaver, honestly. I ditched regular floss pretty early into my braces journey—my fingers were turning purple trying to thread it around those brackets, haha. But yeah, paranoia is real... I used to obsessively check every angle in the mirror, convinced I'd missed something. Eventually, I added a water flosser into the mix—it helps ease my dental anxiety a bit, though I still occasionally worry I'm not doing enough. Braces definitely turn us all into mini dental detectives!
"Braces definitely turn us all into mini dental detectives!"
Haha, couldn't have said it better myself. My daughter got braces a few months ago, and honestly, the cleaning routine stresses me out more than her. We started with floss threaders, but it felt like performing surgery every night—way too intense. Switched to interdental brushes recently, and they're way easier, but I'm still paranoid we're missing spots. Might look into a water flosser next... anything to ease the anxiety a bit. Glad to hear it's helping you!
I totally get the anxiety around missing spots, but honestly, water flossers aren't always the magic bullet people think they are. They're great for rinsing out food particles, but they don't always remove plaque as effectively as traditional floss or interdental brushes. I'd suggest sticking with those interdental brushes and maybe adding a fluoride rinse afterward. It might feel tedious, but it's usually more thorough in the long run... at least that's what I've seen in practice.
"They're great for rinsing out food particles, but they don't always remove plaque as effectively as traditional floss or interdental brushes."
I see your point, but honestly, water flossers have been a lifesaver for my kid. We tried the interdental brushes at first, and it was a constant battle—lots of frustration and tears. Switching to a water flosser made the whole routine way less stressful. Sure, maybe it's not quite as thorough on plaque as traditional flossing, but if it means my kid actually does it consistently without a meltdown, that's a win in my book.
We still do regular brushing and fluoride rinse afterward, so I feel like we're covering our bases pretty well. I guess it depends on your situation—sometimes the "best" method is just whatever your kid will actually use regularly without drama... at least that's been our experience.
Totally get where you're coming from—sometimes practicality beats perfection. I've found the water flosser easier on my gums too, especially with older teeth and sensitive spots. Like you said, "
"... same goes for adults!sometimes the 'best' method is just whatever your kid will actually use regularly without drama
