Do you floss your teeth?

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,281]

This has been on my mind for awhile now... and maybe it is a bit of TMI. I don't think it is really.

Okay I'm creating a poll to see how many of you here actually floss your teeth. I mean EVERY SINGLE DAY like clockwork. Not just when you remember or have time, or when you know you have a cleaning or dental appointment. Actually, maybe I'll make that an option too.

Not to worry, I won't make this poll viewable so you can be honest with your answer.

The reason why I'm wondering is because, myself, I NEVER used to floss (I know, gross huh?). I was brought up with good dental coverage and all that. I just never did. Maybe I was lazy or whatever, I don't know why I didn't. Growing up my Mom would make sure I got my cleanings on schedule every six months, and even had braces. She took good care of my teeth! I've had three oral surgeries. One to extract extra teeth in preparation for my braces, then another to extract the same teeth (yes they were adult teeth) that decided they wanted to regrow. I was truly one in a million with that one! Anway, the last one was for the wisdom teeth.

Okay I'm getting off track here, I'm just trying to say - I had no excuse for not flossing. I was taught better.

Well, I went 6 years without a cleaning as of last year! Yeah, I know - gross again... LOL!! Turns out I needed to have some fillings fixed and a deep cleaning on each side. :thumbdown::scared2::confused: Yeah! That sucked!! Trust me, deep cleanings are a b*tch!!

Anyway, I asked my Dental Hygienist how on Earth could I prevent this from ever happening again??? She simply said, well - floss. Simple as that? Well she did also then tell me making sure I'm getting my routine cleanings too will help as well. She said my pockets were ranging from 4 to 7's. Not sure if any of you know what I'm talking about, but apparently that's not very good. She said not super bad either for someone who has neglected my teeth for so long though. She said she had hope for me.

So, I flossed every single day in between my deep cleanings and such....

Long story less long, I just went in for a cleaning and she told me I had the cleanest mouth of the week award! Wow!! She even called in my Dentist to check it out! He said wow, great job too. He said she's really tough when it comes to that and I should be honored... LOL!! Also, my pockets are all 2's now.

So, flossing and regular cleanings really do work! Who knew?

Share your stories if you dare. :sneaky:

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,281]

PLEASE NOTE!

Sorry, I made a booboo.

Option 3 should be:

I get regular cleanings, but I DO NOT floss. My teeth and gums ARE healthy.

Gee, if a moderator would be so kind to fix this for me, I would forever be grateful!! :thumbdown::confused:

[MacMadame 81]

I changed it.

But there wasn't a real option for me. I get regular cleanings and I floss irregularly. My teeth are heathy but my gums are just okay. They could be better. I'm sure it's because I don't floss enough.

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,281]

I changed it.

But there wasn't a real option for me. I get regular cleanings and I floss irregularly. My teeth are heathy but my gums are just okay. They could be better. I'm sure it's because I don't floss enough.

First, THANKS! Much appreciated! I did the copy/paste thing and got over zealous I think.

Second, I did consider those options too, but I was confusing myself with so many. Thanks for the reply, it does fall into what I'm trying to get at. Flossing does help with healthier gums.

Third, WOW! CONGRATS ON GOAL!

[Jaffa 5]

Anti-plaque oral rinse is probably the best thing you can do, if you aren't going to floss.

I use it daily, and my dentist always looks at my teeth and say's what a good job I'm doing of flossing. I don't floss, just the rinse daily.

[babygrl1234 6]

I think I just got lucky when it came to teeth.

I went in last year for a cleaning after not being there for nearly 10 years. I had one very small cavity. I always brush in the morning but not so much at night unless I eat something funky. As for flossing, I do that more often than I used to. I do not like the feeling of food in my teeth and often I will floss at night but not brush. But I have had only 3 cavaties my whole life and my teeth and gums were given the dentist stamp of approval.

[Gone4Now 4]

I voted I don't get cleanings, but am still heathly, although I don't expect that to last long. The family history of good teeth isn't that great.

I hate the dentist and probably won't go again until they drag me in kicking and screaming.

I do brush and floss - all the time. Just sitting watching tv, I'll floss. Those stick things were the best ever. I have them in my purse, at work - all over.

I brush every day, otherwise I feel "furry". (Mmm...actually after I hit submit post, I'll be heading to bathroom to brush now.)

I still have had fillings in just about every tooth in my mouth, but now they're okay. - At least there isn't any pain.

Yet.

[luluc 6]

i was given tetracycline as a baby for asthma & it made my teeth very week & a bit discolored.

i'm regular w/my cleanings twice a yr - had zoom back in july and continue to bleach them around 4 times a wk.

i had to have 3 extractions & implants put in in sept. i rinse with biotene mouth wash & floss almost all the time - i'm not overly regular about it but i do the rinse first before brushing each time.

i understand dental healthy is very important - as poor hygiene here can lead to other illnesses???? makes sense.

[tapshoes 2]

I USED to go to the dentist every 6 months, and then when I was around 25 the dentist said it was a waste of time for us both...no need to come more than once every 2 or 3 years. I have very strong teeth, excellent gums, the few cavities I had were when I was a youngster and still have those fillings. I brush faithfully multiple times a day, rinse and gargle 2X day, but floss periodically.

I LOVE going to the dentist...it is like getting a massage for your mouth. I usually just fall asleep ...obviously I haven't had dental issues; no needles, no scrapings, no ouchiness!

[plain 12]

I'm from East Texas....the question should be "Do I floss my tooth".

[LilMissDiva Irene 3,281]

I'm from East Texas....the question should be "Do I floss my tooth".

ROFL!! :glare:

[heartfire 4]

I'm from East Texas....the question should be "Do I floss my tooth".

Plain, you crack me up! And on a regular basis, btw!

I voted #3. I go 2x a year but I never floss unless something's stuck.

What's crazy is that I have GREAT teeth but I have structural issues that are causing me to lose teeth and break them. My jaw didn't "grow" right so I clench my teeth and my "bite" is off. I can't afford the $30,000 for braces, reconstructive surgery and implants which would include bone grafting. Sooo, I wear a bite splint at night and have a bridge across the front where I worked my front teeth loose and lost bone almost to my nose. Yeah, lots of fun! But what's left is very healthy!!! And the bridge looks fabulous!!!

[hakunamatata_ca 0]

Oh ya I know the pocket numbers and the deep cleaning or "root debriment" PAINFUL. I have had that a couple of times to try and get the pockets better and it's worked but what has saved me as I am not a regular flosser is my ELECTRIC TOOTHBRUSH! My gums are doing awesome - dentist very impressed how well my gums are healed now. I swear by it!

I never got to go to a dentist until 12 yrs old then sporatically after that as I had no coverage. I do now and the visits are much easier now. Exposed roots from gums receding from not flossing are the most painful thing in the world I think :drool:

She said my pockets were ranging from 4 to 7's. Not sure if any of you know what I'm talking about, but apparently that's not very good. She said not super bad either for someone who has neglected my teeth for so long though. She said she had hope for me.

So, I flossed every single day in between my deep cleanings and such....

Long story less long, I just went in for a cleaning and she told me I had the cleanest mouth of the week award! Wow!! She even called in my Dentist to check it out! He said wow, great job too. He said she's really tough when it comes to that and I should be honored... LOL!! Also, my pockets are all 2's now.

So, flossing and regular cleanings really do work! Who knew?

Share your stories if you dare. :laugh:

[Jachut 487]

Didnt they find just recently that those mouth washes give you oral cancer? Anyway, I'm partial to anti plaque whitening mouth wash and of course i brush twice a day but I hardly ever floss.

I'm lucky, I've never had even a filling and I'm 41. My teeth are strong as strong. But flossing is important for the health of your gums - and poor gum health can lead to things like cardiovascular disease.

I fight tooth and nail to get my kids to even BRUSH, they're digusting. I usually notice Fraser's teeth are yellow and furry and rip through him for it, but he still needs to be reminded every single time - he's 14 for crying out loud!

[HeatherO 7]

I brush religiously, and I do mean religiously. If I miss a brushing, my teeth feel weird to me and I absolutely must brush them before I can relax at all. If I ever get stuck somewhere without a toothbrush, I use my finger and toothpaste.

So after all that, do I floss well . . . not hardly. If something is stuck or if I sporadically feel like it I will floss. I dont know how I can be so uptight about one aspect of oral hygiene but not the other.

My teeth and gums are healthy so I have gotten lucky so far.