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Flossing back teeth?
Posted: Sun Jan 09, 2011 8:49 pm
by drgnchsr36
Just curious, does anyone else have any problems flossing their back two upper teeth? I can barley reach that far, I used to have issues before braces.. but now with braces.. the brackets which hold the end of the wire seems to take up all space.
Any tips would be appreciated!

Re: Flossing back teeth?
Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 6:25 am
by Plumcore
My ortho suggested trying to floss there, but she also said not to force it. Because if the floss has no room to enter..most likely no food will either..i am thinking.
Re: Flossing back teeth?
Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 8:06 am
by Wongohk
Something you just get used to after 3-4 months into it. You will find your own way for the floss to get into and out of the gap between the wires.
Re: Flossing back teeth?
Posted: Mon Jan 10, 2011 8:56 am
by drgnchsr36
Plumcore wrote:My ortho suggested trying to floss there, but she also said not to force it. Because if the floss has no room to enter..most likely no food will either..i am thinking.
Thanks! hoping you're right! I brush really well there.. just can't reach back to get the floss through.
@Wongohk, I'll ask my ortho about it at my next adjustment if I can't figure it out by then. - thanks!
Re: Flossing back teeth?
Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 9:19 pm
by musiclady2340
The first few months I couldn't figure out how to floss some of my back teeth, but things have been shifting around and now I can floss some that couldn't be done before. Just sayin'... I was also told not to try and force floss if too tight.

Re: Flossing back teeth?
Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 10:15 pm
by drgnchsr36
Thanks musiclady2340! I'll remember that!

Re: Flossing back teeth?
Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 11:49 am
by ngarner0717
Has anyone had issues with the floss getting caught on the metal bands? Whenever I floss my left back tooth the floss somehow always gets caught on the metal band on the tooth in front of it and i have a hard time pulling the floss out. Sometimes it comes out with no problems, other times the floss breaks and leaves some behind wrapped around part of the band and I have to pull it out.
Re: Flossing back teeth?
Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 11:58 am
by drgnchsr36
Yep, I usually have that problem on my back brackets. I have to make sure they don't get hooked on anything.. or else I end up shredding the floss as I'm trying to pull it through. Sometime I end up flossing my bracket instead of my gums :p
Re: Flossing back teeth?
Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 12:02 pm
by ngarner0717
Ha I thought there was something wrong with me lol. Glad to know I'm not the only one with this issue.
Re: Flossing back teeth?
Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2011 1:43 pm
by GRILLZ
me too! right now, i can't get into floss the back teeth either.....i was able to do it w/o braces but now.....what i'm doing is using a proxy brush back there, i figure it's better than nothing??
Re: Flossing back teeth?
Posted: Sat Jan 15, 2011 3:28 pm
by drgnchsr36
Yeah, I go as far back as I can.. and use the proxy brush.. especially after chips!