Dental care discussions and local services.
brianmiller603
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RE: Swollen gums and braces: is this normal or just me?
Funny you mention pizza crust - my kid swears anything crunchy or chewy just sets their gums off. Popcorn is another one that’s basically banned in our house now. We’ve been extra careful with brushing, but sometimes it ...
RE: How often do you actually swap out your night guard?
Yeah, I get the anxiety too - anything dental tends to stick in my brain way longer than it should. Mine’s yellowed a bit as well, even with regular cleaning, and I used to worry about it looking gross. My dentist echoed...
RE: Retainer snapped in half - what now?
I feel you on the “where’s the retainer” struggle - mine somehow ends up in the weirdest places, like under my bed or in my laundry basket. I tried using an old one too, but it just made my teeth ache. Neon case is a gam...
RE: Toothbrushing Apps vs. DIY Brushing Charts: Which Gets Kids More Excited?
I totally relate to the “apps and charts are fun for a minute” thing. We tried one of those brushing apps with my youngest, and it was all excitement for about five days... then she just wanted her tablet time without th...
RE: Making the switch: how I use my water flosser (and where I still mess up)
I get where you’re coming from, but I actually found using the water flosser in the shower way less stressful, even though I was worried about dropping it at first. I just put a hand towel on the floor (outside the showe...
RE: How sticking to a simple gum care habit actually worked for me
I get where you're coming from, but honestly, I’m still a bit on the fence about going super gentle. Like you said, , and I totally relate. My dentist also suggested easing up, but after a few months, I noticed my teeth ...
RE: Keeping your tongue scraper from becoming a science experiment
I get what you’re saying about silicone being easier to grip - totally makes sense if you’ve had those close calls with a slippery metal one. I actually tried going back to a silicone scraper for a bit, but I noticed it ...
RE: Finally stopped my teeth from wiggling - here’s what worked for me
Yeah, I totally get what you mean about the guard feeling like a mouthful - mine was so bulky at first I thought I’d never get used to it. Ended up switching to a “thin” custom one from my dentist, which helped a lot, bu...
RE: Chewing Gum That Actually Works For Gross Breath?
I get what you mean about gum not really cutting it sometimes. I’ve tried a bunch too - some of those “extra fresh” ones just leave my mouth feeling dry or weirdly sweet. I still use them in a pinch, but if I’m honest, n...
RE: Which one actually gets your teeth cleaner: blasting with water or good ol’ string floss?
I get what you mean about string floss feeling more thorough, especially for stuff like popcorn hulls (those things are relentless). But for me, the water flosser actually helped a ton after my wisdom teeth came out - ge...
RE: Why does every night guard feel like a mouthful of plastic?
Yeah, I’ve tried the boil-and-bite ones from the drugstore. Honestly, they felt a bit bulkier to me, but the fit was more customized than the one-size-fits-all types. Still took a while to get used to, though. The awkwar...
RE: Why do gum checkups make me so nervous?
I totally relate to the feeling of sitting there, hearing “2…3…4…3…” and wondering if I’m about to get graded on my flossing skills. For the longest time, I thought higher numbers meant I’d failed some secret test. Event...
RE: Why does every night guard feel like a mouthful of plastic?
I swear, I tried to tough it out for months thinking I’d just “get used to it,” but I never stopped noticing it was there. The dentist did say some people adapt after a while, but honestly, I still end up taking mine out...
RE: Root canal wasn’t as scary as I thought - pain gone!
That's interesting - I actually found the opposite after my root canal. I was a bit nervous about chewing on that side, but I started adding regular foods back in pretty quickly. For me, the soreness faded faster when I ...
RE: Worried about stitches after implant surgery
Honestly, I’ve always wondered about those pastel brushes too - like, do manufacturers think soft colors equal less pain? But about rinsing: I actually switched to a syringe with warm salt water after my implant. It felt...