Why exactly is it that flossing with braces is so important?

[SilverGirl]

I *hate* flossing and *never* do it. And my teeth haven't suffered for it - they're very healthy. However, from reading a lot of these posts it seems that it is kind of a big deal when you have braces.

Is there some reason it's more important to floss when you have braces vs. when you don't? Does it affect movement or anything like that?

[classII]

Aside from obvious dental hygene. A piece of carrot or steak stuck between your need will impede the movement of them. Technically I don't know how valid that is whether the mighty carrot can out muscle the mighty powerchain, but having cheated many times late nights out, once flossed out, for sure there is a massive difference in feel of movement once your teeth are cleaned.

[haywire]

Aside from obvious dental hygene. A piece of carrot or steak stuck between your need will impede the movement of them.

I agree. after 3 months in lower braces my orho told me to floss every night because dental plague gets between my teeth and stops them from moving (it "glues" them together) so i think flossing may help the teeth movement

[Emmauk]

I will probably shot down in shame but i use my waterpik instead of flossing, i havent yet got my braces but i expect it will be the same once braced, i dont think anything could stay between teeth once its met the waterpik!

[BraceFace2o1o]

I'm not sure why flossing is more important in braces, perhaps it's because of what the above posts said, plaque can stop the teeth moving.

Originally I didn't realise how important flossing was, I was never made aware of it by my Denist

I was getting paranoid about my gums and did some research, alot of it lead to flossing/not flossing.

After researching online about it, my butt got a good kicking from myself and I started doing it daily a few weeks back (I already notice an improvement).

Fossing isn't just about the health of your teeth, it's also the health of your gums! which support the teeth (along with bone).

If you don't floss you are leaving plaque/bacteria under the gum line which can cause problems, like gum recession, gingivitus (which can develop into gum disease if left untreated). Honestly, after the research I did I got scared and now realise just how important it is, braces or no braces.

I guess some people may just be lucky and can get away with not flossing throughout their life, personally I don't want to take the risk. I want to keep my teeth, and by doing so I need to look after my gums too, not just the teeth.

[fluffybottom]

I *hate* flossing and *never* do it. And my teeth haven't suffered for it - they're very healthy.

Just because you haven't suffered any health repercussions yet doesn't mean it is okay not to floss. By not flossing, you are guaranteeing yourself major dental problems down the line. And some damage is not so easy to correct once done.

Floss. Just do it.

[Snowglobe32]

I will probably shot down in shame but i use my waterpik instead of flossing, i havent yet got my braces but i expect it will be the same once braced, i dont think anything could stay between teeth once its met the waterpik!

Don't make this mistake. I stopped flossing regularly for almost a month after I got my Waterpik, and I will never do it again!I will spare you the gory details.


I like to waterpik, floss, waterpik again, brush, waterpik to get rid of the excess toothpaste, then mouthwash. It works great!

[jdwallac]

Please floss, really. Its a few minutes a night and SO worth it. I never did it either until I got ELEVEN cavities out of no where and had to have two teeth extracted because they were completely decayed. The cavities all started between my teeth, where I should have been flossing. It's a pain in the butt but so worth it.

I've flossed every day since June and now I can't even go to sleep without doing it first, you really start to feel the difference.

[SilverGirl]

Ok - you have all scared me into flossing! I got the single-use kind with one stiff end that can be threaded behind the wire - it's not too bad to use. And wow - there was a lot of stuff in between my teeth! (And I do use a waterpik with the ortho attachment to get stuff out of my brackets). It makes sense that all that stuff could impede movement - so I'm going to use that as my motivation when I don't feel like doing it!

Thanks for all your responses.

[Loztredders]

I've always been told flossing is very important regardless of if you have braces. Since being told that I have been very deligent in flossing once a day, at night, and have seen a huge improvement not only in my gum health but also in the whiteness of my teeth and the fact that I havnt needed a filling since.
I think flossing whilst braced is even more important maybe because bacteria can hide in more places and therefore multiply much quicker.
Either way, I'm going to try to floss twice daily when I get braced. I must be in the minority though as I actually find flossing quite therapeutic. I just do it while I'm watching tv before I go to bed, don't even need to look in the mirror anymore now.

[UGHBRACES]

Flossing is important anyway, very important.
But in braces the bristles have a harder time reaching those areas which is what makes it even more important. Well just a guess anyway.

[orangeracer]

My teeth have been very close together for all my life, making flossing very difficult, but I did it anyway. I have always dreaded the flossing part during cleanings at the dentist, because the assistant always cut my gums. The braces are beginning to loosen up that tightness, so in a few months I may find flossing with braces to be easier than when I didn't have them!

[catgyrl]

don't even need to look in the mirror anymore now.

LOL! Oh, but you certainly WILL have to look in the mirror to floss once you're braced. I tried to do it without looking and managed to floss the same area 4 times before I gave up and walked to the bathroom.

For those of you who ARE able to do it "blind": I salute you!

[macgirl4ever]

@catgurl- One day you will be able to, trust me! I agree with another post and find flossing in front of the tv to be soothing. Also, for those of you who have crowding, you'll be amazed the day you don't have to struggle to get the floss through and for those of you who have gaps, especially between your front two teeth, it is nothing short of miraculous when you get to floss between those teeth instead of the space!

[blackapple]

I learned my lesson about not flossing. Never really did all my life. It wasn't until a year ago that I had all sorts of problems and had dentist appt after appt because of two cavities that turned into subsequent root canals. It was an expensive mistake. Have had no cavities in a years time because I got serious about my oral health and flossing every night. I swear it's the flossing and better brushing along with antivcavity rinses are keeping me in the clear. Even more paranoid about it now with the braces.