Am I the only one?

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#1 Post by **HisBabygirl** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 5:52 am

I mean, dont get me wrong, I love having my braces...but am I the ONLY one that doesnt: brush 80 times a day, avoid crunchy/chewy foods, think gum is off limits, even floss every day? I probably am. Okay, I floss but I'm not super anal about it. And gum is the best! Sugar-free, of course, I'm not a complete freak. Honestly its just not that serious to me.

And before you start to heckle me...I most certainly wear my rubber bands. Very faithfully.

..but thats about it, aside from brushing twice a day...

#2 Post by **PARR** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 6:46 am

Chew gum ...YES! even with headgear.

avoid crunch foods...some, depends on if I'm sore after an adjustment ... but I've had no prob with peanuts. Popcorn is just real messy and I can wait. No issues with cheese and crackers, and crusty chewy bread can be dunked if need be. Hate soggy salads so it had better be crisp!

I am a fanatical brusher and I do floss daily...used to use superfloss, but now prefer threaderfloss.

#3 Post by **TumbleDryLow** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 6:57 am

I have to say that I've slacked quite a bit since the first month. I don't ever use those tree brush things. I do try to brush 3 times a day, sometimes I only do 2 times. I'm supposed to brush with my super fluoride toothpaste once a day. I often forget. I was never a flosser before, and I do floss more now, but not everyday. I don't love or hate braces. They just "are". Maybe that's why I have such a lackadaisical attitude?

I was eating sugar coated Twizzler bites at work the other day, I didn't even think about it---just popped them in my mouth. That's probably a no-no, but what the h*ll? I'm paying my ortho 6000+. If I snap off a bracket---they can glue it back on!

Most of the people I talk to said that when they had braces as a teen, they didn't follow the "rules" at all. Their teeth didn't rot out of their head and their treatment went on as normal. So yeah--same as you---not too anal.

#4 Post by **Lisa65** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 7:50 am

I brush twice a day, floss maybe 3 or 4x a week, chew gum and eat almost everything I ate before. The initial novelty of braces and feeling like I had to clean my teeth 100 times a day has long since worn off.

So far I've only broken one bracket in 18 months, and that was because I was trying to pick off some excess glue on that tooth.

So no, I'm definitely not anal.

#5 Post by **Katt** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 9:11 am

I certainly am not anal about all of it. I have ate everything on the no no list and loved it. I only brush twice a day unless it's a really messy lunch. I only floss 3 - 4 times a week because well it's just a pain in the butt. But I do waterpik frequently because it does clean all the junk out when I don't want to brush.

#6 Post by **BallPointPen** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 9:21 am

I brush twice a day for about 1 minute at a time, I have never flossed in my life. Neither my dentist or ortho has ever said anything other than that my teeth are in perfect condition. I think some people worry too much about cleaning, but then again too much is better than too little.

#7 Post by **Bekah** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 9:23 am

I will admit that I bought a water pik because I have seen my daughter try and floss around the archwire! It kind of scares the holy heck out of me! At least with the waterpik I can get them mostly clean.

I have neglected my poor gums for years and have finally just now got them healthy for the first time in my life! Of course I am currently flossing 2 times a day. I hate flossing and always have!

#8 Post by **jorx** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 11:44 am

Oh, I laughed a lot with your post! I feel like I'm breaking most of the rules and that compared to most people here I'm too lazy with my teeth, especially with the flossing...

#9 Post by **tazzle** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 12:24 pm

maybe its because I am new to the braces thing but I do brush after almost every meal ..... more because I just hate the food caught in the metalwork and between my teeth than because I have been told I HAVE to.

Plus I suppose I have a fair bit damage to my gums from my overbite over the years I have to keep what I have as healthy as possible.

I use the te pe brushes more than flossing .... only floss the parts the te pes cant get

#10 Post by **Lisa65** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 2:33 pm

I don't eat lunch, so I have an excuse

#11 Post by **HisBabygirl** » Sat Apr 05, 2008 8:49 pm

TumbleDryLow wrote:I have to say that I've slacked quite a bit since the first month. I don't ever use those tree brush things. I do try to brush 3 times a day, sometimes I only do 2 times. I'm supposed to brush with my super fluoride toothpaste once a day. I often forget. I was never a flosser before, and I do floss more now, but not everyday. I don't love or hate braces. They just "are". Maybe that's why I have such a lackadaisical attitude?

I was eating sugar coated Twizzler bites at work the other day, I didn't even think about it---just popped them in my mouth. That's probably a no-no, but what the h*ll? I'm paying my ortho 6000+. If I snap off a bracket---they can glue it back on!

Most of the people I talk to said that when they had braces as a teen, they didn't follow the "rules" at all. Their teeth didn't rot out of their head and their treatment went on as normal. So yeah--same as you---not too anal.

i know! they just "are" so who cares about picking and choosing what i eat? the only time i really care is if i eat something that makes my teeth hurt.

my boyfriend just got braced today, and if i wasnt all the way in korea, i'd kill him. he's so irritable and mean! but its funny because now he knows how i felt!

he was telling me how he tried to eat a burger before settling on a milkshake. LOL. serves him right.

#12 Post by **SDFD TSchott** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 10:04 am

Lets see when I had my braces on I always chewed gum *Sugar Free* I ate crunchy foods, in fact I even ate an apple whole one time without cutting it ** Yes that was a chore **

But after all that I was done and I have great results to show from it... Just click here to see those results.

Oh and I only brushed twice a day flossed once every other day, and still had my norm cleaning every 6 months.

~Tim~

#13 Post by **BoSox2008** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 10:15 am

I have been slacking quite a bit after the first month as well!

I'm not anal about flossing, I brush 2X a day (more if I'm home and feel like it). I chew gum daily, drink coffee, and don't even remember the list of no-no foods. My braces are still on, my teeth are still white, and I haven't broken a bracket this whole year... I think its okay.

Oh - and my ortho recommended cleanings every 3 months. Oops, I don't have time to fit those appointments into my busy schedule. I think we'll all be okay : )

#14 Post by **HisBabygirl** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 4:02 pm

SDFD TSchott wrote:Lets see when I had my braces on I always chewed gum *Sugar Free* I ate crunchy foods, in fact I even ate an apple whole one time without cutting it ** Yes that was a chore **

But after all that I was done and I have great results to show from it... Just click here to see those results.

Oh and I only brushed twice a day flossed once every other day, and still had my norm cleaning every 6 months.

~Tim~

thanks for posting that!! its gonna be me in a year! maybe a little less if i start behaving...but probably not...

#15 Post by **Faerydust** » Sun Apr 06, 2008 6:08 pm

Let's see here. I don't brush my teeth as often as the first week I was braced, but I do brush at least 3x a day. If I don't the brackets look pretty gross (I have ceramics). I gave up on trying to floss, my teeth are so close together that the floss gets stuck. I know it's not as effective as real floss, but I use the waterpik electronic flosser and interproximal brushes to clean between teeth.

I've chewed sugar free gum and eaten popcorn. My front teeth are a little sensitive still so I can't really bite into anything will my front teeth. I eat crunchy foods, but chips are a bit scary. Sometimes a pointy piece of chip will get stuck behind a wire and then with my next bite it will jab into my gum. Not pleasant. I don't like caramel or taffy and didn't eat those before braces, but I'm not avoiding them because they are no-no foods.

I'm trying to be good about my oral hygiene. I'm thinking of going into dental hygiene instead of nursing and I don't want to be a hypocrite.