Dental care discussions and local services.
illustrator91
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Topics and replies this member has contributed.
RE: Daily mouthwash vs. regular dental checkups for keeping your mouth healthy?
Alcohol mouthwash totally torched my gums when I first got braces. I switched to an alcohol-free one and it’s way less harsh - plus, no burning sensation, which is a win. Still paranoid about missing a cleaning, though.....
RE: Floss picks or classic string floss: which actually works better for gums?
I gotta say, I used to think floss picks were the holy grail - super easy, less mess, no angry spaghetti strings stuck in my braces. But after a year of orthodontics, turns out my gums were still kinda cranky. My dentist...
RE: What I wish I knew before getting cosmetic bonding on my teeth
Haha, this is so real. I remember my phone just refusing to recognize me for days - like, sorry, new teeth, who dis? I also felt like I was wearing someone else’s smile at first, but it really does settle in after a bit....
RE: What helped my mouth heal after implant surgery
I thought I was the only one who got sick of mashed potatoes by day two. My “creative” low-chew meal was avocado with a bit of lime and salt - kind of like lazy guac, but it didn’t require any chewing. The wedge pillow t...
RE: WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU HAD TO GET ALL 4 WISDOM TEETH OUT AT ONCE?
Pineapple juice, huh? I wish I’d known that trick before - I just looked like a chipmunk for a week. General anesthesia was a lifesaver for me though, no way could I have handled being awake. And yeah, yogurt gets old fa...
RE: Choosing the right root canal doc - what mattered most for you?
Can totally relate to the “wall of diplomas” vs. actual human interaction dilemma. I’d rather have someone talk to me like I’m not just a set of teeth on a conveyor belt, especially when drills are involved. Credentials ...
RE: Tricks for feeling good about a “toothy” smile?
Totally get this. Some days I catch myself obsessing over a snaggletooth in the mirror, and the next day I’m like, “eh, adds character.” I tried both professional whitening and strips - honestly, the pro stuff made my te...
RE: Making the Switch: My Steps for Choosing a Gentler Mouthwash
I get what you mean about consistency, but I actually had a weird opposite experience. When I switched to the “gentle” stuff (the blue rinse - yep, that classic flavor), my orthodontist noticed more plaque build-up aroun...
RE: How soon did you get back to your routine after a tooth pulled?
Totally agree - after my last extraction, I was so desperate for something with bite that I actually tried to “chew” mashed potatoes just for the illusion of crunch. Not my proudest moment. I stuck to soft stuff for abou...
RE: Would you freak out if your stitches took longer to dissolve?
Man, I swear those stitches have a mind of their own. Mine took almost a month to disappear and I was convinced they were plotting against me. That toothbrush moment? Been there, jumped a foot in the air. Did anyone else...
RE: Coping With That Annoying Dry Socket Pain After Tooth Extraction
Right? I swear my jaw has trust issues now. I still do this awkward half-chew on the other side, like my mouth’s in witness protection. Did anyone else get weird phantom pains or was that just my imagination running wild...
RE: When the first fix doesn’t stick: a dental do-over adventure
Yep, that’s me too. I swear, after I got my braces off, I spent a solid week poking at my teeth with my tongue like I was trying to find a secret trapdoor. Every little ache or weird click had me convinced the whole thin...
RE: Making brushing fun: What silly games keep your kids interested?
Yeah, the “cavity monster” story is a classic - my niece got so into it, she started making up her own villains like Plaquezilla. I swear, one night she tried to brush for ten minutes just to “defeat” them all. It’s wild...
RE: Did your teeth feel weird after getting your braces off?
Totally get this. I remember thinking my teeth were made of porcelain or something - like, am I allowed to chew with these now? Sandwiches were a nightmare at first...I legit thought I was gonna snap a tooth on lettuce. ...
RE: Keeping Puffy Gums Down After Getting Implants
I actually caved and ordered one of those mouth-cooling things after my last round of swelling. It felt like sticking my face in a tiny fridge... not sure it did much for the puffiness but it was kind of a weirdly satisf...