To be depressed by flossing

[Flossless]

Hygenist visit yesterday, once again told my flossing is not good enough and warned of severe consequences of not doing it right. Once again a schedule set for what I should be doing and how. Today I'm depressed, I know that there is zero chance I can comply with these instructions, and it's not because I'm feckless. I could spend half-an-hour a day attempting to floss my teeth, and would still not have done half the job I'm being told to do, because it's impossible.

The problems are: -

1. about a quarter of the gaps towards the back, I can't see what I'm doing, cannot consistently even find (by feeling my way) the gaps I'm supposed to be inserting floss into, cannot keep track of which ones I have and haven't done, if I manage to do anything at all, which I mostly don't.
2. the majority of gaps in my mouth, the teeth are touching each other, it's very difficult and sometimes impossible to squeeze floss between the teeth, I have to apply huge force to get floss in, the times I manage it at all, and then it's so difficult to get the floss back out that if feels like I'm going to rip out my teeth and fillings, and the floss gets shredded on the way out
3. as a consequence of 2, I have to wind new lengths of floss around my fingers several times during a session, and that's for a session in which I probably give up having got floss into fewer than half the gaps
4. I cannot keep track of the gaps I've flossed by moving from one gap to the adjacent one, because of the need to wind a new bit of floss round my fingers after virtually every gap I do manage to floss.

I do use a water pick, which is 90% effective, but hygenist says it's not good enough.

Interdental brushes are not much use, I don't think, as they only replicate what the water pick does reasonably well. I think they only clean between teeth, they don't go down the sides of teeth, under the gum.

I've tried the little holders with floss on, the floss was the wrong kind, too thick to fit through gaps. If I could get it in, because the floss is round rather than flat, the surface area is too small to clean the teeth efficiently. They come with a toothpick at the opposite end whose only function seems to be to stab holes in my cheek or tongue when I'm using the flossing end.

When I complained about floss issues, a dentist suggested using interdental brushes, when I pointed out that I couldn't get the brush into some gaps and other gaps were so big the brushes didn't touch the sides, he explained in all seriousness that I should have several sizes of brushes and a personally customised wall chart map of to remind me which size to use for each of the circa 30 gaps between my teeth. Even if that is a thing that people do, and he said it was, I don't see how this works, as I can't see how I would reliably map chart instructions to actual gaps.

If I try to explain the issues, I just sound like a feckless person making excuses. Also, I tend not to remember the issues in detail, because they occurred months earlier, after my previous visit, after which I gave up and returned to only using water pick.

I've found some new floss holders, that use the best kind of floss for me, PTFE flat tape. I put the likelihood that these will produce satisfactory results at about 5%. No doubt they will work in some gaps, but not all. As I can't memorise a mental map of which of 30 gaps are worth even attemping to clean, I will spend inordinate amounts of time trying impossible gaps every day, before I give up on trying to use them.

You probably have overcrowding, as do I. The flat tape works for me and I don’t get on with interdental brushes at all.

I would just carry on doing what you’re doing. You are doing way more than most.

It’s totally routine for the hygienist to remind patients about optimum cleaning routine and I wouldn’t be disheartened. Don’t worry, unless you have lots of bouts of bleeding you are probably doing pretty well.

I feel the same as you OP. I spent 50 years without flossing, and never seeing a hygienist, and my dentist told me my teeth and gums were fine. He always did a quick pick and scrub when I saw him, no issues.

Dentist retired, has to change dentist, suddenly my teeth need the full works. Dentist no longer picks and scrubs, oh no, you need a hygienist for that. Hygienist tells me off for not flossing, despite having good teeth and gums.

Suddenly after all these years, I need to floss daily and see a hygienist and a dentist twice a year, previously only saw dentist every year or so.

I now use, intermittently, when I remember, the flat floss between the plastic thingies. I too find it really difficult, and have to saw them in, and quite often end up retching as the whole process is so awful.

As I am OLD, and my parents are even older, it does seem strange to me that all these things are now deemed necessary, even if they aren't. Obviously advice changes, and no-one wants their teeth to drop out, but a little voice always seems to niggle away, that the whole thing is a make money exercise. My DM got to 92 with 90% of her teeth....... only brushed once a day, and never once in her life flossed.

I have quite overcrowded teeth and can only use flat tape. Dentists never believe me, try to use interdental brushes and always get them stuck (and hurt me). It's incredibly annoying.

Daft question, but you don't mention it - do you use a mirror? I can only keep track of what I've done if I'm looking. I don't use a floss holder at all, my mouth is small and it just doesn't work for me. I just use a couple of lengths. I floss maybe once or twice a week (in good weeks). Yes I know I should do it more, I should do lots of things more!

I have a water flosser and my oral hygiene has improved massively

I use interdental brushes and floss. I have four different sizes of brushes so that they do brush effectively, and use the largest possible for each gap. It really doesn't take long to get into a routine, I tend to go round with the biggest brush first and do the gaps that fits in and then go down through the sizes. I might do any one gap more than once, but I don't see how you can miss any out and even if you did then it would get done the next time.

It seemed a bit mind boggling to me at first that people actually did this EVERY DAY! But my gums were getting bad and some were coming up as 6s on my check up and three months of using TePes regularly got them down to zero.

I don't want to lose any teeth as I get older, like I have seen happen to friends, so it's worth it (I don't want to be like the Pam Ayres poem, "Oh, I wish I'd looked after me teeth")

I forgot to mention, I have some new floss, in pre-cut lengths with nylon tips, so can be threaded through teeth from the side, then pulled out same way. Solves the problem of not being able to pull floss up or down, but the guide can only be used a handful of times before getting bent, so I would have to use several pieces in a complete session. Maybe £2 of floss a day, given each piece costs about 30p. And I couldn't get it between back teeth because of the angle, though maybe I should try more than once.

have you tried those silicon interdental picks? the smallest ones? much easier and nicer to use than the floss, last longer and a more pleasant experience.

another thing that is also good for gumline and small spaces is the tufted long handled brush called an "interspace" one. Be careful not to be overly harsh when using it but it's great for difficult to reach spaces such as round the back of the upper back teeth. like this:
www.amazon.co.uk/WISDOM-5028763005457-Wisdom-InterSpace-Toothbrush/dp/B001CLWFWW

also I find if I do the flossing in the shower or bath I remember better.

finally for gums take vitamin c and also coenzyme q10 supplement. really good for your gum health.

I have the little holder ones called plackers gentle slide which are tape (flat) if that helps at all

Don’t think I’ve ever been to the hygienist without a bollocking, despite flossing daily. Don’t be disheartened.

One thing you might try is an interspace brush (as opposed to interdental). They don’t get right in between but they are still helpful at the back.

I gave up with the hygienist. Dentist (private) just does a clean and polish when I have six monthly check ups. The practice have 2 hygienists but no idea who uses them.

I use tape and Ultra Dex brushes. I’ve got some overcrowding on my bottom jaw but the brushes are tiny enough the squeeze through.
the first time I saw the hygienist I was marked 15/20 and 6 months later 6/20 (no idea what this means!) so it does make a difference.

Oh and I use the tapered interdental picks so you don't need as many different sizes

Like these. My teeth touch and they're the only ones that work, I can't fit any others in most of the gaps

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Pack-Tepe-Interdental-Brushes-Orange/dp/B0176DDV2W/ref=mpsa14?crid=1HJJXMQYNQL29&keywords=interdental+orange&qid=1671035418&sprefix=interdetal+orange%2Caps%2C79&sr=8-4

I could have written this OP, I have tried all sorts and it's just not happening. I got a cordless WaterPik a couple of years ago which I use most nights and have a decent electric toothbrush and that will have to do, because it's just a massive pain and life is too short and if I meet my end with gum disease then so be it!

Those are the ones I've just ordered today. At least they will save me the time spent winding new lengths of tape around my finger. Although they do also have sharp opposite ends, so I guess I may still end up stabbing my cheeks and tongue, and giving myself days of pain from mouth ulcers.

I've never stabbed myself with them! Will have to look how I hold them... I think I have the sharp bit sort of covered by the palm of my hand
They don't tend to shred either being tape but more go a bit.. baggy

I have something similar, but I would still need more than one size.

But my real reason for not using them is that I think the water pick (that I like using) can do the same job.

What neither the water pick nor these do is go under the gum line, as the hygenist has previously told me to use floss to do.

Why do dentists always have to scold people? Don't they realise that just puts people off going to see them. They're not helping anyone by telling you off like you're a small child.

You need dental tape it's life changing.

Also having a few different sized inter dental brushes doesn't need to be dramatic. I have three different sizes; no big deal.

If I don't use them for even a week I notice a huge difference when I start again.

I've never flossed 🤫

No dental work needed in my 36 years. I'm very lucky though that my teeth are well aligned.

I've tried a few times before but I find it hurts and makes my gums bleed.

I sometimes think that professionals need to speak to people like adults and not lecture them as if they are children.
I went to a new hygienist a few months ago who was a bit kinder in her approach. It's maybe my own stubborn nature, but I can get defensive when I feel as if I'm being told off. I've definitely tried a bit harder with the flossing and poking at the gaps. Honestly I think that if you're trying your best and turning up at your appointments on a regular basis it's enough. Paying for a service and then being lectured on your own inadequacy is a bit annoying.

Do it every day and it will get easier. I like oral b normal floss, my dentist likes the tape. Try a few and see which you like.
Start at one side and work round, if a section feels too tricky leave it for now.

Try just the tiny pink teepee brushes in small gaps, wiggle them in. You can brush up under the gum line a little with these.

I floss every day and now my teeth don’t feel clean just brushing. With practice it only takes 5 minutes.

I had severe bone loss and very bad gum problems and apparently my teeth were all on the verge of falling out and after lots of very expensive treatment I have finally fixed my gums.

I have 4 different sizes of interdental brush, the mapping is dead easy if you can work out how many teeth you have and you will remember what goes where in a few days.

Using these every day (although when I’m tired and depressed I tend to treat myself to a night off every 4 days or so!) has transformed the health of my gums and saved my teeth. Do it! I spent a couple of thousand pounds getting my teeth to a place where I could deal with them myself, don’t let it get that bad! I also have to have a hygienist appointment every three months and she is amazing, she will tell me what teeth I need to concentrate on or any areas where I’m slipping a bit.

It’s your mouth, you do what you want. Who’s paying who, here?

Your dentist is a dentist- he’s an expert on teeth, sounds like his life is teeth. Regular people don’t make cleaning their teeth a project with wall maps. I’m sorry, but no. Not normal.

I will say, if you keep at the flossing nightly, you will slowly learn the nuances of your set of teeth. Go for doing it regularly rather than perfectly and you’ll get better and faster. Do it for the length of your favourite song.

If I try to explain the issues, I just sound like a feckless person making excuses.

To be honest, yes. You sound like a child trying to get out of doing their homework.

It's not complicated. Try dental tape or find a floss that suits you. Ask your hygienist to recommend a floss/tape that works well with your shape and position of your teeth. The same with TePe brushes - ask which colours you should try given size of the gaps between your teeth. Look in the mirror when flossing if you can't see and/or remember (seriously??!!) where you're flossing. It's not hard.

Some of you have never flossed? Oof don’t envy anyone getting up close and personal with you! There is a very distinct smell about the non-flossed!