Skipping flossing.

[Eclipse]

Does anyone here skip flossing sometime?...You know, busy, tired whatever. Then you start up again and OUCH. Gums puff up, mouth hurts...

[animallover7249]

I don't think flossing should give you that reaction...

[Jinga]

I used to skip flossing. It definately would hurt when I did try to floss. I ended up with gingivitis at the age of 27. Thankfully, after becoming more diligent with flossing and swishing with listerine the gingivitis went away before it turned into a major problem. Floss. Floss. Floss!

[Fona]

I rarely floss, I only do it if I've got a dentist appointment to avoid a scale and it never hurts when I do. I've never had any problems that would be associated with the lack of flossing. It doesn't sound good that your gums are puffy and bleeding, you must be doing it too hard, forcing the floss too far up. The puffy and bleeding on brushing is a sign of gum disease, dunno about flossing though.

[Eclipse]

I don't think flossing should give you that reaction...

If you keep up flossing, this won't happen.

[Jinga]

It doesn't sound good that your gums are puffy and bleeding, you must be doing it too hard, forcing the floss too far up. The puffy and bleeding on brushing is a sign of gum disease, dunno about flossing though.

You can be very gentle and still have your gums bleed if they are not healthy. Regardless of if the gums puffiness and bleeding is caused by flossing or brushing, it is a sign of unhealthy gums. Besides looking for redness and puffiness, when checking for gum disease the dentist will count the amount of bleeding locations they find when prodding around in your mouth. More bleeding locations = more advanced gum disease.

[Jinga]

If you keep up flossing, this won't happen.

Yup. Unless you have an advanced problem, the puffiness and pain should go away after several weeks of regular flossing.

[Eclipse]

Mine usually goes away after a few days...I guess because I usually floss regularly ( just enough for:notvegan: , you slacked off on dental care, naughty you to sink in..) Back when I didn't floss as much, I had more issues with bleeding gums.

Though my gums always bleed with more intensive dental cleaning.

And for anyone who doesn't floss at all...Here's something to scare you. Bacteria from teeth and gums can travel to other places in a person's body.

[Fona]

And for anyone who doesn't floss at all...Here's something to scare you. Bacteria from teeth and gums can travel to other places in a person's body.

Thats not scary, thats common sense, ofcourse bacteria and germs move about the body.
If you want to be scared try a book (or a google image search) on teeth problems.

[magentamonkey]

If you want to be scared try a book (or a google image search) on teeth problems.

Yes! Ewwy! Last winter my exams for my statistics class happened to be in the lecture hall for the dentistry students, and they would leave handouts about different mouth diseases - complete with pictures - all over the place. :spew:

My gums bleed a tiny bit if I haven't flossed for a while. I try and do it regularly but most of the time that doesn't work out.... << lazy :)

[kpickell]

I rarely ever floss. Which is why I probably just spent several thousand dollars correcting periodontal disease.

[Yero]

I don't think I have ever flossed for than 2 or 3 times. And I really don't feel like doing t anytime soon.

[law]

I don't think I have ever flossed for than 2 or 3 times. And I really don't feel like doing t anytime soon.
Me too.

[*AHIMSA*]

Issues associated with not flossing have been linked to heart disease. An infection of the lining of the heart can happen and cause heart disease.

Scary.


Floss, everyone, floss!

[LucidAnne]

yeah!!! floss babies!!

i found it to get quite addictive to get that nice smooth feeling all over your pearly whites...i had to take floss everywhere i went, it actually got to be a little OCD...thats the issue w/ living w/ a dental hygene student.

on the other hand.. disgusting stories of pple who had 3 teeth left and mouths smelling literally like s**t is also a nice motivator.

[karenlovessnow]

Does anyone here skip flossing sometime?...You know, busy, tired whatever. Then you start up again and OUCH. Gums puff up, mouth hurts...

:yes: Happens to me if I skip more than a few days...but the discomfort only lasts a day or two.

[Libellula]

I floss daily. and carry floss with me. and rinse with Act Restore.

[sybaritik]

I hardly ever go without flossing. I can't bear to.

Even when I'm a bit wasted after a night out, I still push myself to make a
lame attempt. :)

[rainforests1]

Does anyone here skip flossing sometime?...You know, busy, tired whatever. Then you start up again and OUCH. Gums puff up, mouth hurts...

For how long are you talking about? I try to floss twice per day and normally do that. I don't have any problems when I floss, but I have had bleeding at the dentist so I know that can't be a good sign.

[delicious]

I floss every day.

[synergy]

I usually floss daily, but the last week or so it has been more sporadic since I can't find my floss and the stuff I just bought I don't like as much.
My mouth feels sad without flossing :(

[Eclipse]

For how long are you talking about? I try to floss twice per day and normally do that. I don't have any problems when I floss, but I have had bleeding at the dentist so I know that can't be a good sign.

I don't think I've skipped flossing for more then a week for a long time.
Do you find flossing twice a day helps?...

There's been times I've gotten into brushing twice a day, I might floss twice a day sometimes, but that's only to make up for when I didn't floss.

[danakscully64]

I used to not floss at all, especially when I had braces. Once I realized how much stuff got stuck in between teeth, I started flossing daily. Lately, I've been SOOO busy that I barely have time to brush my teeth (and trust me, I'm the type who brushes 4-10 times a day)... so I've been flossing every other day. It makes me sad, but it's been nuts around here.

My gums used to bleed everytime I flossed... It took YEARS to get them to stop being so sensitive. It doesn't help when your teeth are very close as it is. My wisdom teeth have been trying to grow in, so it makes my teeth even tighter. Lately, I've noticed that I'm more likely to bleed when I floss.

[rainforests1]

I don't think I've skipped flossing for more then a week for a long time.
Do you find flossing twice a day helps?...

There's been times I've gotten into brushing twice a day, I might floss twice a day sometimes, but that's only to make up for when I didn't floss.

I'm not sure. I don't think I floss the way you should so it may not give me the benefits it should, but all of the dentists I've talked to have said twice per day is ideal.

[PneumaticJawz78]

I skipped flossing for years- I would DEFINITELY not recommend it, gets you cavities. I just had one that gave me the most pain I've ever felt at once, and now I have FOUR other ones on my left molars.

Well, I didn't do it for a while because it's tricky trying to get those back teeth! I do it now of course, but then....

Definitely floss everywhere. I used to think that you only really needed to do the teeth in the middle- not so! lol Peace V.