Flossing

[Bumperstump Cummerbund]

Hahaha, very unused part of the forum

So, I was never taught how to floss. I was never even told I HAD to floss, which has led to me having to get a tooth removed

I've been trying and trying, and I think I might be flossing retarded. Either my teeth are too close together, and I can't get the floss in, or they're too far apart and the floss just slides right off and doesn't do anything beneficial. Or, and this is most likely, I'm doing it wrong.

How do you floss? How do your teeth feel afterwards? I bought a flossing brush yesterday, and after doing all my teeth they ached, it was quite painful. But not stabby pains, more like a painful 'glow' around each tooth. Could that be because its the first time I've ever done it?

How often do you floss? Is it an after-every-meal thing, or a daily thing?

[~ Zarava Flutterby ~]

I SHOULD do it, i have HORRID teeth even though i brush every day... hmm will watch this thread, i can never get it right either.. we can be flossing UNCO together

[Mum2SweetCs]

i can only floss my front teeth correctly and cannot do the back ones! my fingers even turn purple from holding the floss too long while trying to floss the back ones!!!

[boobaloo]

i don't floss either, it makes me vomit, just the feeling of it urgh. maybe ask your dentist to show you the proper way?

[AnyDream]

Use a dental satin thread, not a floss - it's much easier to get in when you have 'tight contacts' (hehe how impressive is my dental-speak??)

Alternatively, there are those stick things with floss on them, or picksters if you really can't deal with the floss.

[Olive]

yep as MD said try the stain thread and not the floss, otherwise stick with the flossettes or similar (which is what i use) definalty get your dentist to show you too.
its normal for your gums to ache if you dont floss reguarly, its not a bad thing, it means they needed it! floss every other day if you can

[Phteven]

Those sticks with the floss in can be deadly.
I have a sort of overhang - I can get floss in easily but it catches coming back up. When we were at the ILs DH convinced me to try one after dinner instead of a toothpick. It got stuck!!! I couldn't get the stupid fat string on it past the top of my tooth so I was standing there with the stupid thing hanging out of my mouth trying to tell DH to get scissors and cut it out. Eventually he understood and found MILs gruesome old kitchen scissors and then after about 10 minutes jerking it around he finally cut the string. Then he says 'oh, it's bleeding'
Yeah, fancy that! Who would have guessed that being attacked by weird dental hygiene implements and kitchen scissors would make one's gum bleed?

[luna moth]

Daily. I have to, my teeth are just those types.

I use the satin floss too - dental hygienist showed me how to. I hate doing it but I know it's good for my mouth, and it does feel awesome afterwards.

[Olive]

sorry onyx

[Cherished]

oh how bizzar that I would speak twice today about flossing on BB in the "how do you eat your corn" thread I said that I cut it cause I can't stand feeling like I need to floss half way through my meal LOL. I floss daily and if I for some reason don't my teeth feel horrible like their is food stuck in between them (yucky) the smoother flosses are better to slide in between your teeth and the dental hygineist actually says to press rather hard up into the gum to get air up there to kill bacteria or something. Your gums are probably sore due to not flossing regularly, they should get better