Any dentists/hygienists about please?

[imaflutteringkite]

I've discovered that I have very advanced gum disease. I'm awaiting treatment for it but in the meantime I obviously want to try and sort it out as much as I can. My teeth are very severely overcrowded. I'm going to get braces but I can't until the gum problems are dealt with. My previous dentist recommended the Tepe brushes but I'm really struggling with them. I don't seem to have any space at all to get them between my teeth, even right down at the gum. Please can anyone recommend something to help with flossing. I've got a fancy new toothbrush but I know without flossing it's not going to get any better. Many thanks.

You can get teepees in very fine widths, what colour are you trying? Also with longer handles for awkward areas.

(I’m not a dentist/hygienist)
Excuse my ignorance but why can’t you floss? I have very tiny spaces between my teeth so I could never use those tepe brushes but flossing is fine

Although I use a very thin flossing string (Oral B), flossing tape is too wide for me

Also, a small tip is wait 30 minutes before/after eating when you brush
May be helpful to reduce amount of sugar you eat if you haven’t already

I cannot get interdental brushes between lots of my teeth.

However, I use these as they go inbetween the tightest spaces flosspicks

I have never used one but Water flosser could be another suggestion

I maybe could use floss. Can anyone recommend an especially thin one? I just bought the tepe that the dentist suggested but I'm really struggling with it. I'm pretty sure it's impossible to get in between my teeth

I'm using blue and green teepees.

Pink tepes are the smallest. Glide floss tape is good.

I use oral B’s essential waxed floss

I prefer dental tape to floss - it can get between the teeth well, cleans better because it is thicker, and doesn't cut into the gums as much as it is just that little bit thicker. (No 'cheesewire' effect.) Tesco and Sainsburys do own brand tape that is not expensive.

Great thank you. I'll go and have a look at these suggestions tomorrow.

I use oral b pro-expert floss, which I find really easy to use. I also like wisdom interdental brushes, they are rubber and easier I think than tepes.

I am a dentist and have never met a tooth I couldn't floss. Your teeth can move ever so slightly which means that no matter how close they are you can normally fit something thin between. Like floss, it just takes practice. You can also get floss harps, floss holders as well which you might find easier.

If you haven't had a clean in a while, you could have calculus blocking the gaps which will make it more difficult. So you might need to try again after treatment.

I would get your dentist or hygenist to demonstrate for you and work out how best to clean between each of your teeth, you might find some teeth work best with tepes or wisdoms and some with floss

If you have very advanced gum disease, tepes alone won't sort it. You need to see a periodontist. Worrying that your dentist gave you a tepe that seems to be the wrong size tho! Did he show you how to use it?

10000 that was my old dentist, one of the many reasons I left that practice. My new Dentist is much more helpful but I'm just waiting for the hygienist appointment now.

My recommendation is to buy waterpik and to use it with a saltwater solution