Dental care discussions and local services.
adam_white
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RE: Finally survived wisdom tooth stitches - share your healing wins?
The warning about pain worsening after initial improvement is especially useful. On the rinsing question, does anyone know whether a syringe is typically recommended once the stitches come out, or should the dentist or o...
RE: Daily mouthwash vs. regular dental checkups for keeping your mouth healthy?
I get what you mean about the water flosser - mine helps with braces, but I still end up with some buildup in those tricky spots. Even with mouthwash and all the gadgets, I always leave the dentist feeling like my teeth ...
RE: Would You Go for a Brighter Smile with Lasers or Stick to DIY Kits?
Totally get what you mean about the strips. I tried those once when I had attachments on, and it just highlighted all the spots around my brackets - looked way worse than before. The custom trays from my ortho were a gam...
RE: Would You Go for a Brighter Smile with Lasers or Stick to DIY Kits?
Honestly, I never had much luck with the in-office stuff. My teeth got super sensitive for days, and the “light” didn’t seem to make a huge difference for me. I actually found the custom trays from my ortho worked better...
RE: Quick fix for small gaps between teeth
My dentist actually gave me the option between bonding and aligners for a tiny gap up front, so I did a ton of research (and bugged a couple friends who’d done both). Bonding looked perfect at first, but I kept reading s...
RE: Switching to floss picks totally changed my nightly routine
Totally get that - my old bridge is the same way. What’s worked for me is using those floss threaders with waxed floss. It’s a bit of a hassle, but way less shredding. I’ve tried floss picks too, but sometimes they’re to...
RE: Best ways to soothe a teething baby (besides the usual stuff?)
Yeah, the mittens never lasted more than a minute with my little one either - straight off and gone. I actually found chilled silicone teething rings to be a bit safer than frozen food, just because I worried less about ...
RE: Keeping pain at bay after wisdom tooth extraction: worth the fuss?
Scrambled eggs were a lifesaver for me too - oatmeal and yogurt got boring fast. I actually found that keeping a cold pack handy did more for my nerves than the meds after the first day. Did anyone else have trouble slee...
RE: Keeping pain at bay after wisdom tooth extraction: worth the fuss?
That syringe freaked me out too at first. I kept thinking I’d push too hard and mess up the clot, but honestly, after a couple tries it wasn’t as bad as I expected. What helped me was filling it with lukewarm saltwater, ...
RE: Finally stopped my electric toothbrush from getting all gross - here’s what worked
Totally relate to the “musty smell” thing - my ortho made a whole speech about bacteria on brushes when I first got braces. Here’s what’s worked for me: after rinsing, I tap the brush a few times to shake off extra water...
RE: How Has Getting Braces as an Adult Worked Out for You?
I get where you’re coming from, but honestly, “owning it” didn’t really work for me at first. I tried to act casual about the braces and all the cleaning stuff, but sometimes it just felt awkward - especially in work mee...
RE: Electric Toothbrushes vs. Manual for Kids: Which Actually Works Better?
I get what you mean about the electric brush helping, especially with stubborn kids. But honestly, when I had braces as a teen, my ortho kept saying it was more about consistency than the tool itself. I used a plain manu...
RE: Kid toothpaste: tiny smear or pea-sized blob? Which do you use?
Honestly, same here. I used to stress about the “pea-sized” rule, but after braces, I realized consistency matters more. I do a tiny smear for my little one - less mess, still gets the job done. If they’re brushing and n...
RE: Anyone dealt with wobbly teeth? What worked for you?
That mirror-checking thing is real... I did it nonstop when I first got my retainer, too. My teeth felt wobbly for weeks and I was convinced something was off every time they ached or shifted. What helped me was sticking...
RE: Why do gum checkups make me so nervous?
That inconsistency drives me a bit nuts too. I’ve had like three different hygienists check my gums, and each one seems to have their own “system.” One will poke super gently and call out all these 2s and 3s, and then th...