Metal Mouth Message Board

Hello Guys.....
Today is my fith day being a braced gal...the pain has gone,but when i try to bite it's still hurt
The problem is when i floss my teeth yesterday,the gums bleed....
Is this normal??

hi there zUrA22! i havent got braces yet but since finding this site i decided to start flossing, i didnt really before so of course i wasnt used to it. I keep cutting my gums with it even though im really gentle i think they are just soft and not used to it, maybe this is whats happening with your gums? or did you floss before you got them(the braces)id just keep going with the floss, when i posted my question about it thats the response i got, also maybe try doing it every other day for a while till your teeth settle down and arent so sore. Also bonjela or a mouth ulcer gel on them might help and make sure they dont get infected, good luck with your braces and i hope everything gets more comfy for you asap! Also, its perfectly normal for it to be uncomfortable as your teeth are moving around in there!

take care, blueberry
x

That happened to me too after I first got my braces. This is just conjecture, but I think the gums swell a bit after you get braces, enough for them to be a little tender and bleed a bit when you floss. It will probably go away pretty soon, if not, mention it to your ortho at your next appointment.

Gums that bleed may be due to gingivitis...gum disease. Just keep flossing and with time it will get better.

If you just started flossing, it probably is gingivitis. I would also suggest using a good floride toothpaste, maybe even the one the dentist gives you. I use Prevident. Just make sure you floss regularly. Taking care of your gums while in braces is probably just as important (if not more so) than taking care of your teeth. Healthy teeth are no good if they don't have healthy gums to hold 'em in place

I was a pretty good flosser before braces and still found that I bled a little during flossing after they were first put on.

Jennandtonic may be right -- just some temporary swelling, or perhaps due to small shifts in tooth position or extra pressure.

For me, the problem went away after a couple of days.

I've always been a good flosser (well, most of the time ) and my gums still bleed a lot. My dentist noticed the increase in bleeding too and she was going to talk with my ortho about it. One theory I heard here was that you might be flossing harder or at different angles than used to and this could be causing irritation. My dentist suggested with all the moving, my gums are more irritated, but she was surprised. So, I've been braced 4 mo and still can't figure it out. Very odd. Let us know what your ortho says.

Same here, zUrA22; first off there was a little bleeding occasionally from flossing but it soon cleared up. I was a pretty pedantic flosser before braces so I agree it's probably related to the whole upheaval and stress in your mouth from opening up a silver mine inside.

At first I got a little bleeding from the gum where it meets the tooth while brushing as well. Didn't last long either, same deal I guess, plus I had started using an electric toothbrush instead of old faithful.

Good Luck!