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Post by Faye on Apr 17, 2005 9:33:58 GMT -5
I've just come back from shopping and have invested in some waxed floss. I have given it a little go but don't like it at all. I have a couple of little gaps around a couple of my teeth, I had a go at these (not looking in the mirror, too scared to look) and I can sort of manage these bits. I did get into a sudden state of panic when the floss got caught on a little bit of tartar, I thought I wouldn't be able to get the floss out but I did. The rest of my teeth are very close together and I had a bit of a go at putting the floss between a couple of them but it's horrible. I can feel the pressure of pushing the floss on my teeth and it feels like I'm moving them. I haven't managed to actually get the floss down to the gum yet, or even to get it properly between these teeth. The floss just seems to thick, I don't know how I'd get a piece of cotton thread between my teeth let alone this stuff. Does anyone else have this problem with floss or is it just me being a wimp? Should I just force the floss between them even if it does feel uncomfortable? Cheers very much, Faye
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Post by letsconnect on Apr 18, 2005 4:46:17 GMT -5
Hi Faye, I'm still reading through all the new posts (there are a LOT) and it's great to see so many encouraging posts over the last two weeks ! Regarding the floss, you may want to try Oral-B Satin Tape, which is a lot easier to use than other flosses if you have tight contacts between teeth. You may want to give it a try and see if this works better !
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Post by Faye on Apr 18, 2005 5:09:46 GMT -5
Thanks Letsconnect I'll try to stop off at Boots after work as they'll do a better range of products than the general supermarket I went to yesterday, they should have some I can pick up. Will let you know how I get on! Faye
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Post by letsconnect on Apr 19, 2005 6:04:06 GMT -5
Just wondering if the Satin Tape is any easier - please bear in mind that flossing really takes a while to learn, don't get too frustated if you don't get very far with it at the start ;D !
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Post by Faye on Apr 20, 2005 2:51:49 GMT -5
Hi Letsconnect,
I'm afraid I haven't quite gotten to the shop to buy the satin floss just yet have been a bit busy at work and by the time I get out I just want to get home as quick as possible lol.
I have been continuing to have a bit of a go with the floss I already have though. I managed a couple of extra gaps between my teeth last night and this morning, and have been quite pleased not to be getting too much plaque off with it. I've been doing it after cleaning my teeth. I sort of feel panicky as I think it's going to get stuck but I guess I just need to get a bit more confident with it.
I have been having a very quick look at my gums and I can now see more pinkish areas where I'm sure they were red before around the front of my top jaw, however there is still a lot of redness around, but I think it may be getting a little better. I've bought a new toothbrush (could only find a medium one) and have been trying to angle it better at 45°, and I've been cleaning longer too.
My bottom teeth I haven't really tried flossing yet as most of them are very close together, particulary at the front. And this is my real problem area as the majority of the plaque build up is on them and especially behind those teeth. My gums are most red around those teeth and the redness is over a big area. I don't think I'll be able to bring myself to even try flossing these until I've been to the dentist and had all the tartar removed, and I know that the teeth are okay.
It's good though as I've only been trying for a couple of days and I feel more confident about flossing my top teeth, just need to keep practicing and building up confidence to know that I'm not going to pull any teeth out lol.
Faye
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Post by letsconnect on Apr 20, 2005 6:03:21 GMT -5
Sounds like you're doing great ;D ! I wouldn't worry too much about it, it's probably a good idea to wait until someone can show you how to do it . BTW, there's "satin floss" and "satin tape", the tape may be easier than the floss (I find anyway, then again, I'm notoriously clumsy, LOL )
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Post by gdentalfear on Apr 20, 2005 15:16:24 GMT -5
Hi Faye, there's definitely a "knack" to flossing and it takes a bit of practice At the start, it seems like some teeth are just too close together, but believe me, you WILL get the floss inbetween .Teeth aren't actually concreted into your jaw, they move a little! But, as I said above, it takes a while to acquire the knack. Until you get to your dentist, no harm flossing just around the "easy" teeth. Then you can get your dentist to check your technique and put your mind at rest that it's o.k. to floss around the other teeth as well. The important thing is to move the floss up and down, NOT back and forth (if you do it back and forth, you can wear a grove into your tooth over time). G.
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Post by Faye on Apr 21, 2005 3:32:31 GMT -5
Thanks Letsconnect and g I'm persevering, I have gotten the floss between another couple of gaps lol. It is getting better slowly, I still get that slight panic when the floss gets caught on something but I'm learning that the floss will come back out with a tiny bit of fiddling. It's taking practice to look in the mirror and get the angle right, I keep moving my hands in the wrong direction because of the mirror lol. I've started to try to have a go at a couple of my back teeth and it's quite amusing seeing me trying to get both hands in my mouth at the same time hehehe. I'll keep on practicing so that won't happen anymore. Thanks for all your advice, Faye PS: I'll try to get some of the tighter gaps, it's good to know that teeth do move about a little on their own as I think this is my biggest fear, I feel like they're weak feeble little things. It's silly because if I can chew on a piece of steak then a little flossing isn't going to hurt them!
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Post by Faye on Apr 22, 2005 3:31:55 GMT -5
Floss update lol Still flossing away. I'm gaining a bit more confidence. I did a couple more gaps this morning, and even managed my two front teeth that are close together. I hadn't noticed it so much before but I had a look at the floss after each gap, a couple left a tiny bit of blood and the rest did actually have some plaque that I removed. Some had a fair bit. This is so good, it means the plaque is removed - hurrah! I was a bit surprised though as I had never really thought of there being enough room for plaque between my teeth but this goes to show I've been living in a dreamworld the last few years lol! Faye
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Post by jamesy on Apr 22, 2005 22:08:14 GMT -5
Hi Faye! Just wanted to lend you some encouragement. Good for you for staying with the flossing. I tried it a few times, didn't like it, then stopped. If wasn't until I went to the dentist and he showed me proper technique that I realized I had been doing it wrong. (Apparently, both fists will not fit in the mouth. ;D) And even then, those first few days, I literally had to force myself to floss. Then somewhere within the last few months it just became habit and now I can't even go to sleep until I do it. Just like anything else, the more you do it, the easier it becomes. Anyway, keep up the good work! -James
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Post by Faye on Apr 24, 2005 7:18:56 GMT -5
Hi again all! I know it's not the most exciting thing on the planet but I thought I'd report (again) on how the flossing is going. This morning I actually got the floss in EVERY gap! I was very gentle with the dodgy ones in front at the bottom but I did get the floss in there if not right down to the gums. Other exciting news, I've been trying to clean my teeth really thoroughly the last couple of weeks, and I can report that for the first time in years there was no blood when I spit (sorry to be crude) my toothpaste into the sink this morning. Hurrah! I did get a tiny bit of blood when flossing in between a couple of my teeth but not much. My gums are still red but now I'm seeing some pink patches. I'm not 100% sure because I've only just started really looking at my teeth, but I don't think those pink patches were there a couple of weeks ago. Getting there slowly! Hope you are all well. Faye
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Post by letsconnect on Apr 24, 2005 19:02:14 GMT -5
Sounds like you're getting on great - it took me about 8 months to get to that stage (embarrassingly enough, it still takes me at least 10 minutes, which is a huge improvement - I may have mentioned that I'm exceptionally clumsy, though ;D). Well done !!
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