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Ok so i completly forgot to floss for the first 6 weeks, i know, very very stupid and i'm paying for it now. I think what turned me off doing it was the fact when i first tried the floss would get stuck between my teeth and i'd have to cut it out with scissors. So it went on up to my first hygienist appointment and nothing was mentioned about my gums so i kept not flossing up to my first 6 week appointment, nothing was said other than clean abit more around my brackets and minimise the mouth wash. So 2 weeks not after that i got a pain in the upper right side when i bit down and brushing at the back of the gums started to bleed lightly. The next day i poked around at the back with one of those under wire cleaners and it started to bleed profusly. So I called my ortho thinking i had a major problem, she told me to floss between those teeth (upper right molar with metal bracket around it) and it will bleed a few days then it should settle. So i bought some super floss and used it. Bleed bad the first time then settled the next day and now its moderatly light, however tooth next to it has started bleeding just as bad so i did the same thing there, flossed with super floss yesterday and it bled alot too. However sometimes i'm feeling like me flossing between there so much isn't really helping, i feel like maybe i'm irritating or cutting the gums up even worse. And you all know how hard it is to get right right at the back of your mouth to clean it I've started flossing between the other back molars with metal bands around them and my lower left side still bleeds bad 3 days still bleeds. I dont want to go back to my ortho or the hygienist unless its dire, so should i be giving it abit of a break between flossing to let things heal a little before trying again? say, once a day or even once every two days. With all the work thats gone into my teeth (6 fillings under sedation and now braces) i really dont want anything to start up that i already had fixed. Also, has this happened to anyone else? I'm in australia so i dont think i can get a water pick like you all have, now that sounds awesome
Sorry to hear you're having problems. I use to be the same way A couple years before my braces and I would put off flossing to avoid the bleeding. But my hygenist told me it would stop bleeding once my gums get used to it and she was right. As far as the problem and hassle of flossing with braces. I use a WaterPik Water Flosser and it does the job very well and also cuts the time in half. Also, it's suppose to be 3x more effective than regular flossing and comes with a special attatchment made just for braces. I think it's a really good investment... it really isn't that pricey.
great news waterpick's are available in australia im in brissie. Terry white chemists stock them if they dont have in stock they can order for you and also the shaver shop sell them as well. i got mine from the chemist ( terry white) cost about $150 but ttoottalllly worth it.
let me know how you go with locating one any troubles PM me on the board.
good luck with your braces journey
from huggypillow
Water Pik or not please don't give up on the idea of flossing! I floss nightly with the greatest floss ever...Thornton's Periodontal Floss...it is available online. One end is super thick and fluffy and has a nice stiff tip for threading between teeth. I do a two step process sliding up and down between teeth with the skinny side then back and forth with the thick side. I hope you will try it. You would be amazed at what you can do while flossing... ;-)
Rusty's Mom is right. Flossing is meant to get the area below the gums, between your teeth. The WaterPik is great to help, but does not finish the job completely. The more you floss the healthier your gums will get. While you're flossing and having bleeding you might want to try some kind of medicated mouthwash.
29 years old
2-18-10 baby canine pulled
3-15-10 got braces
12-22-11 Moving-SO EXCITED!!
1-2-12 Meet new Ortho
1-5-12 Begin finishing treatment
3-5-12 Canine Implants...dun dun dunnnnn
4-9-12 Deband!
I had braces for Two Years and TwentyFive Days
well good news i guess, flossing last nite in the areas that bled profusely, things have started to settle down. The only time it begins to bleed is when i know i've scraped or cut the gum taking the floss back out, entirely my fault but so much better than having to cut the floss out of my gums with scissors when it got trapped.
I've started flossing between the other back molars with metal bands around them and my lower left side still bleeds bad 3 days still bleeds. I dont want to go back to my ortho or the hygienist unless its dire, so should i be giving it abit of a break between flossing to let things heal a little before trying again? say, once a day or even once every two days. With all the work thats gone into my teeth (6 fillings under sedation and now braces) i really dont want anything to start up that i already had fixed. Also, has this happened to anyone else? I'm in australia so i dont think i can get a water pick like you all have, now that sounds awesome 
i dont think those water picks are available in australia though 
unsure if we have a terry white where i am but i'll look for the closest one, i dont care abotu the price, well worth it 
