Alternative to flossing teeth?
- Thread starter HelenR
- Start date
Jamaica2023
New member
Have you tried a water flosser?
Greasy Thumb
New member
Two potentially helpful responses spring to mind. The first is my best shot at answering the question you actually asked. The second is my gut feeling about what might address the underlying problem, so apologies if it strikes you as exactly wrong:
1/ Dentists often talk about 'stimulating gums' with your toothbrush and I am 85% sure that this idea is a lie they tell to get people to brush their bone-and-nerve teeth in a more effective way. If you cover your gums with your regular brushing you're likely to be pushing a few bristles into the gaps as a result. This won't be as effective as a through-and-through cleaning but it's not nothing.
2/ I assume this is a sensory issue and sensory issues are things that can be explored, even if that exploration is initially unpleasant. Perhaps a part of the problem is that flossing etc. feels like a giant task full of sensory unpleasantness, so psychologically it combines a sensory issue with one of demand/responsibility/guilt (I'M NOT PROJECTING YOU'RE PROJECTING). If this is the case then maybe you need to seperate out the task of exploring the sensory issue from the final goal. You can explore the feeling of a toothpick or intradentalbrush (Floss/tape is horrible imo, but you should try whatever feels the least threatening to you) as tentatively as you like and you're doing something productive. You don't have to commit yourself to running before you can even cope with the feeling of walking. The feeling of things between your teeth is *intense* but it can be pleasing. The feeling of cleanliness between teeth is now a reward for me. It's good to be able to suck some air through that triangular gap at the top (and realise that the reason you couldn't before was because there was gunk).
HelenR
New member
I haven't, how does it work please?
I gave myself permission to stop doing it for a while. First I just put the interdental brush somewhere I could see it every time I cleaned my teeth and I'd just look at it with curiosity and no judgement. When I felt ready, I'd just chew the interdental brush for as many times as I needed to until it felt normal to have it in my mouth. Then I tried using it but giving myself permission to stop as soon as I needed to. Even doing one tooth is better than nothing. I never push myself to the point of getting really stressed with it now. That way it doesn't become a scary task again. Sometimes I still can't face it, sometimes I do a few teeth and occasionally I manage all of them. I reckon that's a lot better than forcing myself to do them all while I'm utterly hating it and then not being able to face it again for ages. It's a lot kinder to me too!
This isn't a recognised technique. I just decided I needed to retrain myself and thought how I'd teach a reluctant toddler to clean their teeth then made up something that seemed as though it might work for me. Maybe see if you can find something like this to make it less threatening for you?
My partner just got themselves a water flossing thing...they love gadgets.
I don't know how good it is yet. I'm a bit scared to try it. It took me a long time to get used to an electric toothbrush because of the vibration and noise.
There was a very awkward moment when my dentist questioned my statement about not liking electric toothbrushes. I just didn't know how to explain or where to begin at the time.
I have tried to floss more with the string stuff. Sometimes I can keep it up for a bit but honestly there is so much of these little things we are supposed to do I don't know how people fit them all into their days.
I have decided not to feel bad about myself for not flossing all the time.
I can do it sometimes for a few days in a row and then can't get it together for ages. I guess it depends on if there is a serious health reason like gum disease you need to do it to help treat then finding more consistency would be a reason to prioritise flossing otherwise maybe its not a priority in the same way.
My partner doesn't have many teeth left so he needs to try and look after them better than he has done previously.
The new gadget just looks to me like another thing to have to keep somewhere and maintain and forget about after a couple of weeks. It can go live with the other gadgets that get used the first week and then gather dust. Although water flossers are apparently supposed to be the best way to clean between teeth and between teeth and gums.
I managed to get used to the toothbrush because I had to fix a problem with a bad tooth. This was some motivation that helped me.
Once I get around to trying the water flosser maybe I can report back on how it goes. It might be wonderful and solve all the ick of flossing!
I don't know how good it is yet. I'm a bit scared to try it. It took me a long time to get used to an electric toothbrush because of the vibration and noise.
There was a very awkward moment when my dentist questioned my statement about not liking electric toothbrushes. I just didn't know how to explain or where to begin at the time.
I have tried to floss more with the string stuff. Sometimes I can keep it up for a bit but honestly there is so much of these little things we are supposed to do I don't know how people fit them all into their days.
I have decided not to feel bad about myself for not flossing all the time.
I can do it sometimes for a few days in a row and then can't get it together for ages. I guess it depends on if there is a serious health reason like gum disease you need to do it to help treat then finding more consistency would be a reason to prioritise flossing otherwise maybe its not a priority in the same way.
My partner doesn't have many teeth left so he needs to try and look after them better than he has done previously.
The new gadget just looks to me like another thing to have to keep somewhere and maintain and forget about after a couple of weeks. It can go live with the other gadgets that get used the first week and then gather dust. Although water flossers are apparently supposed to be the best way to clean between teeth and between teeth and gums.
I managed to get used to the toothbrush because I had to fix a problem with a bad tooth. This was some motivation that helped me.
Once I get around to trying the water flosser maybe I can report back on how it goes. It might be wonderful and solve all the ick of flossing!
DawnSquishmallow
New member
I have used the Waterpik cordless water flosser and found it works really well. You charge the machine, fill the machine compartment with water, press a button and it sprays water into your mouth to clean between your teeth. It comes with various different heads depending on where you want to clean or what you find works best. It does have a noise when in use but it’s very gentle on the mouth and can take less spoons to use. You just refill when you run out of water and charge when it gets low on power. It’s more like a jet flosser. I am extremely sensitive to textures, sensations etc. I can’t tolerate electric toothbrushes, but this didn’t bother me when in use because of the water & you don’t have to make it touch the teeth. I actually found it satisfying to use at times because it made my teeth feel much cleaner and didn’t leave them with an uncomfortable, unpleasant texture.
I tried the water flosser. Things I learnt:
Use warm water to make it more comfortable.
I used the lowest setting and even this 'stings' bits of my mouth when i aim it in the wrong place by accident. It was a shock, but I am getting used to the sensation. I can't imagen anyone needs the other 5 settings!
It's messy because the water has to come out of your mouth. I dont like water running up/ down my arm so I have to hold the thing so this doesn't happen and lean over the sink.
I don't have very good co ordination but this probably comes with practice.
There is a clicky noise but it's not too bad but it foes have a kind of urgency about it which is not very relaxing. I havent tried it with headphones on yet to see if that makes a difference.
There's not the same kind of vibration like with a toothbrush. I now think perhaps it's the vibration of my toothbrush I dislike the most.
It makes my teeth and mouth feel very very clean!
It's quicker than flossing with the string.
The squirting water feels weird but I think I will get used to the sensation if I use it more.
I have tried it a couple of times now and the payback of the clean feeling seems to outweigh the 45 seconds or so of strange sensations otherwise I wouldn't have tried it more than once.
It could be an expensive purchase if it turns out you don't get on with it. But I think I like it better than flossing with string which is annoying, difficult to reach all teeth, ick, and sometimes painful and I think it might be doing a better job.
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