I'm flossing my teeth, and want to know what is the fucking point, really?

[trashcanjunkie]

I gave up smoking six weeks or so ago. I had my teeth cleaned for forty five quid at the dentists, they are lovely and stain free. I have gum disease cos of my dirty habit, and the hygeinist wants me to return in a couple of months for deep below the gum cleaning. She wants to use an anastheatic as it's gonna really hurt, which I'm a bit horrified at. She said not to use corsodyl in the meantime, as it will stain my teeth, and that I have to floss daily. Now, I've been at the flossing for a month, and to be honest I'm struggling to see any changes/benefits. One or two places piss with blood each time, and the rest don't. Nothing changes! AIBU to ask, how many people floss and do you notice a difference if you do or don't?

etc I meant!

Both men and women do a lot of toiletry gigs which arent really nessary. It is about confidence but rather shallow.

It is worth getting a good electric toothbrush if you can afford it. The battery ones are not half as good as a rechargeable one. I use a sonic one that cost £60 or £70 (can't remember) in a sale. The replaceable heads are quite expensive though. They clean your teeth really well.

You might find tape easier than floss? I use Oral B satin tape and I find it much better than floss. With floss it tended to get trapped, hurt my gums, etc.

I brush twice a day but floss and mouth wash only once.

Those saying mouth wash is a gimmick, what does your dentist say? My dentist would like me (and my children) to mouth wash 3 x a day!

i use these

they are brilliant and save that cut-finger thing that you get from loose floss, and you can reach the back teeth easily.
But I am a tooth obesessive. Have an electric toothbrush, floss every day, and have only ONE teeny tiny filling (which I was devastated about)
Mouthwash, however, seems to be a marketing ploy. When your teeth are clean, they are clean.

I've tried the satin tape and am too cack handed. I kept slicing my gums. The expanding floss is my favourite (fucking hell is this really what I'm writing here?) as it gives a steady clean. I'm so wanting a sonic rechargable

ooh I'm gonna have a try with those norks I too have only one tiny filling (the size of a pin head apparently) but I'm lucky, as opposed to having done anything right. I've seen the results of gum disease in some of my older family members, and frankly it's gross. Not fancying teeth dropping out due to slack gummage when I hit sixty.

I try to floss daily now, especially as at my check up this week, the dentist told me that flossing can help prevent tooth crowding (as you are removing bacteria below the gum line and preventing disease and gum inflammation). I find the interdental brushes a bit weird too as I don't have many gaps between my teeth. Don't forget that your dentist is checking for oral cancer too.

The link between flossing and preventing heart disease could be because people who maintain their bodies ie with regular brushing, flossing and visiting the dentist are going to be the type of people who are more likely to think in terms of health benefits and are more likely not to smoke and drink less, eat healthily and exercise more.

Congratulations on giving up smoking.

This is dead boring, but I didn't know it so wanted to pass it on. As well as flossing - don't brush your teeth too hard. It destroys your gums. Back in the mists of time we were taught to brush until your teeth felt clean, and to do it after ever meal. As a result, I have receding gums that my dentist pleasantly observed make me look as if I'm twenty years older.

I honestly didn't know that this was a bad thing (brushing hard and too often), so thought maybe others might not. You're meant to brush very gently, in little circles, and do it thoroughly but not all the time. Electric toothbrushes are better because it's almost impossible to over-brush with them.

not boring LRD! I bloody forget that every time and rake my gob on first contact. Then I remember and gentle it up. I'm actually very lucky my teeth and gums look fine.... I guess that why it's hard to understand the point sometimes

Nope!

I've read on several sites that it's a more direct correlation, rather than a take care of yourself teeth more likely to take care of your heart type.

Of course I'm sure hourly flossing between mass pie consumption isn't going to have a hugely positive effect!

if i didn't floss every day before bed my gums would be REALLY swollen/sore. flossing gets the extra crap out from your gums that your tooth brush would have missed. to help with problem gums it also helps to wash out with REALLY HOT water with some added salt, really good for dodgy gums.

ooh does it winter

If you keep flossing them they will eventually stop bleeding when you do floss them because your gums will be healthier.

I bet *country kitten has happily kissed loads of guys who don't floss without realising.

Have you tried the sticks with a little bit of floss stretched between two points? You might find those easier. I do.

I can't floss, it makes me throw-up. Sad but true.

I use hydrogen peroxide a coule of times a day instead.

Are interdentals as good as floss then, or should you do both? And really, is ,out hash a scam? I use corsodyl daily and it's bloody expensive

Waterpik could you give it a try Ruby. Flossing without flossing.

I hadn't heard of Waterpik so I looked it up.

AIBU childish to snigger at something called an "oral irrigator"?

Sounds like you have periodontal disease. You really do have to floss everyday or else it will get worse and in time you will lose your teeth over it, nevermind having flaming red gums (which are not normal and so obvious to people who do floss) and much discomfort in the short term.

Also,medical people correct me if I'm wrong, but I heard that heart disease is proven to be more prevalent in people who didn't floss or flossed irregularly. (due to mouth bacteria ending up in the bloodstream, I think). So much more is at stake than cosmetic issues.

You know it is under control when you have absolutely no bleeding for weeks on end. But every day is the key (pref at night).

It's a PITA at the end of the day when you are tired, but really necessary.

Whenever you brush/eat/floss etc you get a transient bacteraemia (that is temporary bacteria in your blood stream). If you reduce the number of bacteria that hang about on your teeth & gums it makes sense that the bacteraemia is reduced.

Especially important for those who have had rheumatic fever, heart murmurs, cardiac bypasses or prosthetic valves.

I've got a waterpik, I have periodental. It's really helped and far more fun than flossing.

It's very satisfying isn't it Lovely? Seeing any bits in the sink, knowing they would still be there if they hadn't been blasted out.

Oh God Sparking, that sounds awful. I'll stick to the hydrogen peroxide which kills anything and everything. Plus it fizzes so it's quite fun.

(I have an extreme phobia about all sorts of head/mouth based things, I can't go to the hairdresser either.)

But thankyou!

I love blasting out the gunk sparkling . If your gums are sore as well it is just much easier to do.

Granary toast is the best Lovely. Even after cleaning with an electric brush the Waterpik finds more.