Brushing-how often do YOU do it?

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#31 Post by **mindykatz** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 8:26 am

I brush normally in the mornings (salt water rinse, regular brushing with toothbrush, and a listerine rinse) and I do the 45-minute-long-extreme-cleaning before I go to bed (flossing, salt water rinse, toothbrushing, "christmas tree brush" brushing, waterpik, listerine rinse).

During the day I carry diluted listerine and an oral irrigation syringe (a manual waterpik, basically) to get any chunks out after lunch. I also usually carry a bottle of water with me to swish every so often if I feel the need..and to drink, of course.

I feel like as long as I don't have any food stuck in my braces during the day, my mouth is clean enough. If they feel gross I'll brush right after work - and I do carry a toothbrush and toothpaste in my purse for emergency cleaning. I use a lot of diluted listerine, which I feel gets most of the bad gunk off my teeth during the day, but because I dilute it with water, it doesn't dry my mouth out.

I work closely with 6 other women and 3 of them have developed really OCD dental habits since they had braces in high school. The one girl brushes 5-6 times a day, every day! I thought if you brush too hard, too much, you can wear your enamel down. Yikes!

#32 Post by **payoki** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 9:21 am

when I first got my braces, I was brushing and flossing at least 4,5 times a day. ...but now that I'm nearing the end of my treatment, I've gotten lazy so i just rinse my mouth between meals and brush only twice a day.

#33 Post by **WiredforSound** » Wed Jun 13, 2007 10:43 am

Most days I brush every time I eat - 4-5x a day. If I can't, then I aim for at least 3x a day. I don't like the feeling of food in the brackets or under the wire after I eat, so it is a relief to brush and get rid of it.

#34 Post by **thenumber12** » Thu Jun 14, 2007 12:00 pm

I brush in the morning after waking up and at night before going to bed. I floss after brushing at night as well. I can't skip a night of flossing even if I'm dead tired because I've seen the food that gets caught in between teeth (especially between the molars) that can feed an entire family.

Okay, maybe not an entire family.

Then I Listerine afterwards. I really should invest in a Sonicare.

#35 Post by **TheShmo** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 11:09 pm

You know, I didn't floss very much either. Until my last dentist appt (before having my grill on). My gums bled all over the place and hurt! My dentist said my teeth looked great (thanks to my Sonicare and brushing my teeth several times a day) but I was not getting into my gums. She talked me into my showerfloss and gave me this prescription mouthwash (which tasted awful, left a horrible taste in my mouth for hours, and burned my tongue). I learned my lesson....I now showerfloss in the mornings (it's like a waterpik but hooks up to the showerhead) AND floss at night. I'm not going through another painful cleaning like that or having to take that mouthwash again!

I just wanted to ask if you can buy that showerfloss, or does it have to be given to you by a dentist? I have a Waterpik, but don't use it often, b/c it's too messy... that shower thing would be great for me!!

And for the question at hand, I usually brush twice a day (morning and before bed at night) and floss once a day (before bed). I sometimes use flouride mouthwash, otherwise I use a flouride gel my ortho recommended.

#36 Post by **TheShmo** » Fri Jun 15, 2007 11:24 pm

Thanks Meryaten!!

#37 Post by **oceanblue** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 5:11 pm

I brush in the mornings after breakfast and at night before bed. I also floss and use mouthwash (crest) every night unless I'm really tired and then I skip every once & awhile.

#38 Post by **girlff5** » Sun Jun 17, 2007 11:12 pm

I brush 3 to 4 times a day. It usually depends on what I eat. I try to floss nightly, but sometimes I am wore out and skip