Braces & Flossing

[PiCO]

My youngest dd just got braces today. Her teeth are so crooked and so small, it's really hard to thread the flosser in between the wire and the teeth. I'm using a floss string that has one stiff end, to make it easier to thread through.

I had to floss all of her teeth for her, and it was really hard! Does anyone know an easier way to do this? :confused:

Thanks!

[Hillary in KS]

We just did this last week.

Call the orthodontist and have them demonstrate and show you how to floss. We went back in to the office to have them show us, because we had the same problems. According to them, it's largely "technique." :) She'll get the hang of it!

Hilllary

[snickelfritz]

I could brush and floss and the water-pik could still get food out.

[Mrs Mungo]

My youngest dd just got braces today. Her teeth are so crooked and so small, it's really hard to thread the flosser in between the wire and the teeth. I'm using a floss string that has one stiff end, to make it easier to thread through.

I had to floss all of her teeth for her, and it was really hard! Does anyone know an easier way to do this? :confused:

Thanks!

My orthodonist gave me threaders to use.
http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jsp?CATID=100206&navAction=jump&navCount=0&id=prod2385

[Laurie]

I just got a sample pack of G-U-M brand "Go Betweens" at my dental appointment the other day. They look like tiny bottle brushes and you can use them to clean between teeth instead of floss. The package says that they can be used with braces, but I'd check with the ortho. first just to make sure.

[asher]

I could brush and floss and the water-pik could still get food out.
:iagree: This was a life saver. :)

[lynn]

My youngest dd just got braces today. Her teeth are so crooked and so small, it's really hard to thread the flosser in between the wire and the teeth. I'm using a floss string that has one stiff end, to make it easier to thread through.

I had to floss all of her teeth for her, and it was really hard! Does anyone know an easier way to do this? :confused:

Thanks!

Our Orthodontist use to give us threaders that made it very simple. I think you can also purchase them.

[In The Great White North]

This is for your 9 year old?

When dd got her first "hardware", at 9, the orthodontist told me to brush and floss, that she was too young to do a good enough job with the expander/braces. He also gave us the pointy brush, floss threader, someothre floss gidget and told us to buy a waterpik and electric toothbrush. Then the dentist gave us toothpaste with extra fluoride (well water).

Ds was a little older and we let him do his own, which we'll probably regret forever. Now that his braces are off, he has marks around where they were that are not going away.

BTW, dd did pull a bracket off a tooth FLOSSING. They aren't held on nearly as well as when we were kids. The orthodontist couldn't even complain:001_smile:.

[PiCO]

I just got a sample pack of G-U-M brand "Go Betweens" at my dental appointment the other day. They look like tiny bottle brushes and you can use them to clean between teeth instead of floss. The package says that they can be used with braces, but I'd check with the ortho. first just to make sure.

Dd got a sample of these also. I'll have her try these, but I think her teeth are too close together.

[PiCO]

This is for your 9 year old?

When dd got her first "hardware", at 9, the orthodontist told me to brush and floss, that she was too young to do a good enough job with the expander/braces. He also gave us the pointy brush, floss threader, someothre floss gidget and told us to buy a waterpik and electric toothbrush. Then the dentist gave us toothpaste with extra fluoride (well water).

Ds was a little older and we let him do his own, which we'll probably regret forever. Now that his braces are off, he has marks around where they were that are not going away.

BTW, dd did pull a bracket off a tooth FLOSSING. They aren't held on nearly as well as when we were kids. The orthodontist couldn't even complain:001_smile:.

Yeah, I flossed her teeth last night. It was hard for *me*. I used threader floss- floss that has a thin hard end like a threader. I had a really hard time threading it through the back teeth, because of the angle.

I guess I just need to keep practicing! The orthodontist gave us an electric toothbrush, and maybe I'll invest in a waterpick as well.

Thanks for the ideas, everyone!

[PiCO]

What do you guys think of this? It's an automatic flosser. Looks easy.

http://www.waterpik-store.com/detail/WAT+FLA-220

I found it when I was looking for waterpiks.

[Jackie in AR]

I could brush and floss and the water-pik could still get food out.

Yes, my boys brush, floss, and water-pik every night. Having their braces has really improved their dental hygiene. :D