Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Confession Time

I don't floss.


There, I said it. My mom was not a huge stickler for dental hygiene, never making us brush our teeth and certainly never taking us to the dentist, so good dental habits never really got a chance to form when I was a kid. Seriously, we got new toothbrushes not every three months like you're supposed to, but rather as a novelty, like a new toy. I didn't see a dentist for the first time until I was in the sixth grade, and that was only because the county sends a trailer around to all the poor schools to work on kids like me.

Of course, as I grew up I got into the habit of brushing regularly. I even use a tongue scraper. The one thing I can't seem to make a habit though is flossing. I'll force myself to do it for a few days and then I stop. The problem with going your whole life without flossing and then just starting one day is that your gums get super wimpy and can't handle the floss. They bleed and end up swollen for a while. It's AWFUL.

So, I stop.

Well, it's out in the open now, and the reason why is because I really really really want to start this again and stick with it this time. I flossed for the first time in almost a year yesterday and again, it was awful. I could barely eat any lunch and had to have soup for dinner because my teeth hurt so bad. It's better today, but they still feel like they're all loose in my head or something. I know that if I stick with it though that feeling will go away and my gums will stop swelling and bleeding when I floss.

I know this post is kinda gross, but I'm thinking that maybe by putting it out there I'll stick with it this time? It couldn't hurt!

7 Comments:

Blogger Paula - Buenos Aires said...

My son is not a flosser either because he stops when he starts bleeding. What our dentist told us (dentist vists once a year are compulsory for school records here) is that he needs to floss even if he bleeds and if he keeps it up he will eventually stop bleeding because his gums will heal.

5:11 PM  
Blogger Beth said...

What about a WaterPic instead? I hate flossing, and use one of those (there's a "floss tip" that goes kinda into your gumline) and that works out pretty well. Better than nothing, as far as I can tell!


WV: praticed
If we had just praticed flossing when we were young, it wouldn't be so hard now. :)(

5:31 PM  
Blogger Unknown said...

I hear ya. Just went to the dentist today as a family. I have to pretend I like it for the little guy. He loves to go and thinks it's super fun. Wanted to brush his teeth again as soon as we got home. CRAZY!!! I'm not a flosser ... maybe I'll start again tonight.

6:12 PM  
Blogger Alexis Anzalone Anderson said...

I am not a flosser either and "promise" to start at every six month visit. Thanks for this post ~ I am going to floss tonight and try to make it a habit, one night at a time.

8:03 PM  
Blogger Katy said...

I'm terrible about it. I've improved...to maybe once or twice a week. Ugh. Stay strong!

7:21 AM  
Blogger Wendy said...

Not a big fan of flossing either but the alternative is way worse!!! Know several people who have had gum disease and you don't even want to know how they treat that! YIKES!! So, no matter how much I hate it, I floss!!

11:39 AM  
Blogger Kat said...

hahahha yeah I am on and off with flossing too. The little flossing sticks help a ton and you have to floss for like a month straight for them to stop swelling and bleeding.

2:22 PM  

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