Better options for flossing under my dental bridge
March 24, 2021 9:00 AM Subscribe
So I've had a bridge for a while and I've never gotten the hang of threading floss under the bridge with the floppy needle-shaped flosser things the dentist gives me. I have big hands and a small mouth I just can never seem to get the right angle to thread that thing under there.
Are there any other tools for getting floss under there that would be easier to use?
My partner has a permanent bridge - sounds like yours - and struggled to floss. Flossing never made his dentist happy no matter how diligent he was at flossing. The dentist suggested a WaterPik and that has changed everything. There are hand-held and battery powered models for traveling, but the model that sits on the vanity and holds a couple of cups of water is more effective, he's found.
posted by citygirl at 9:38 AM on March 24, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by citygirl at 9:38 AM on March 24, 2021 [1 favorite]
Right up front I should say: This may contain some terrible, unsafe advice.
I don't have a bridge, but I've always had a pair of teeth that are close enough together to regularly break floss, and, of course, I flossed poorly and eventually got a cavity between them. The filling made it worse. "Try Glide floss," dentists said, but it wasn't any better (and there has been some concern that Glide floss could be a source of PFAS exposure).
As a result, I use a regular sewing needle threaded with floss--I push it between the teeth from the outside in near the gumline. Yes, I sometimes stab my tongue. Once it's in, I can floss normally and then pull the floss out without breaking it. I use POH brand floss, and is barely waxed and more "threadlike" than most flosses, which I suspect I wouldn't be able to get though the needle's eye. It's also refillable, which is nice, though only via mail order.
I also installed a water flosser thing on my showerhead, because I like the idea of a WaterPik but was reluctant to buy An Appliance. (It was also slightly cheaper than even the cheapest WaterPik.) It's basically a diverter that sits above your showerhead and connects to a hose with a Luer lock connection to a WaterPik-style nozzle. It doesn't do any sort of pulsing/massaging, which I understand are things the WaterPik appliance does, but don't seem necessary for cleaning. I'm happy with it but still floss.
posted by pullayup at 10:07 AM on March 24, 2021
I don't have a bridge, but I've always had a pair of teeth that are close enough together to regularly break floss, and, of course, I flossed poorly and eventually got a cavity between them. The filling made it worse. "Try Glide floss," dentists said, but it wasn't any better (and there has been some concern that Glide floss could be a source of PFAS exposure).
As a result, I use a regular sewing needle threaded with floss--I push it between the teeth from the outside in near the gumline. Yes, I sometimes stab my tongue. Once it's in, I can floss normally and then pull the floss out without breaking it. I use POH brand floss, and is barely waxed and more "threadlike" than most flosses, which I suspect I wouldn't be able to get though the needle's eye. It's also refillable, which is nice, though only via mail order.
I also installed a water flosser thing on my showerhead, because I like the idea of a WaterPik but was reluctant to buy An Appliance. (It was also slightly cheaper than even the cheapest WaterPik.) It's basically a diverter that sits above your showerhead and connects to a hose with a Luer lock connection to a WaterPik-style nozzle. It doesn't do any sort of pulsing/massaging, which I understand are things the WaterPik appliance does, but don't seem necessary for cleaning. I'm happy with it but still floss.
posted by pullayup at 10:07 AM on March 24, 2021
WaterPiks are great and have a number of spray tips you can try to get the performance you need for your situation. I also prefer the model that sits on the vanity vs travel versions. My dentist loves the improvement in my overall gum health over flossing alone, so it's been worth the real estate on the vanity.
posted by quince at 11:01 AM on March 24, 2021
posted by quince at 11:01 AM on March 24, 2021
I like Superfloss much better than the needle-shaped threader things you use with regular floss... YMMV, of course.
If I’m feeling lazy, I use a Waterpik, but it definitely is not as effective as real floss at getting all the plaque off.
posted by music for skeletons at 11:24 AM on March 24, 2021 [3 favorites]
If I’m feeling lazy, I use a Waterpik, but it definitely is not as effective as real floss at getting all the plaque off.
posted by music for skeletons at 11:24 AM on March 24, 2021 [3 favorites]
Another vote for the Superfloss. The stiffened end is thinner and a little more flexible than the threaders, which makes it more comfortable.
posted by The Underpants Monster at 11:30 AM on March 24, 2021 [4 favorites]
posted by The Underpants Monster at 11:30 AM on March 24, 2021 [4 favorites]
Superfloss works for me. I can't use it to floss my other teeth, but it's perfect for my lingual bar.
posted by minsies at 12:05 PM on March 24, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by minsies at 12:05 PM on March 24, 2021 [2 favorites]
A proxybrush is a small pipe-cleaner kinda thing that might suit your purposes. I would also advocate for a waterpik.
As we say: the best device is the one you use.
posted by OHenryPacey at 1:05 PM on March 24, 2021
As we say: the best device is the one you use.
posted by OHenryPacey at 1:05 PM on March 24, 2021
Another vote for Superfloss (and I have found that Target had the best price on it in my area).
posted by Sassyfras at 2:59 PM on March 24, 2021
posted by Sassyfras at 2:59 PM on March 24, 2021
Response by poster: Thanks for all the responses. I order some GUM Soft-Picks and some Super Floss. I'll try both out and then think about a WaterPik
posted by octothorpe at 6:01 PM on March 24, 2021
posted by octothorpe at 6:01 PM on March 24, 2021
Floss is and always has been horrible. Picks just ravage my gums. Interdental brushes are the business.
I can get useful amounts of toothpaste into various crevices very easily with those that there is simply no way to persuade floss to enter at all. One handed operation, cheap, re-usable to some extent, no power supply required. But you absolutely do need to find the right set of sizes for your mouth; too small for the crevice you're trying to clean and they won't clean it, too big and they'll rip your gums up as badly as any pick ever could.
posted by flabdablet at 9:57 PM on March 24, 2021
I can get useful amounts of toothpaste into various crevices very easily with those that there is simply no way to persuade floss to enter at all. One handed operation, cheap, re-usable to some extent, no power supply required. But you absolutely do need to find the right set of sizes for your mouth; too small for the crevice you're trying to clean and they won't clean it, too big and they'll rip your gums up as badly as any pick ever could.
posted by flabdablet at 9:57 PM on March 24, 2021
Waterpik solved all of my flossing issues. The old fingers are just plain too big to fit into various areas of my mouth as required for any kind of string flossing.
Be aware that there are many water flosser brands available now, not just Waterpik. Off brands will likely be a lot cheaper.
posted by flug at 6:35 PM on March 25, 2021
Be aware that there are many water flosser brands available now, not just Waterpik. Off brands will likely be a lot cheaper.
posted by flug at 6:35 PM on March 25, 2021
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posted by disaster77 at 9:10 AM on March 24, 2021 [1 favorite]