Kids and the Dentist

[Anonymous]

So many perfect parents and kids, I call BS.

Our kids don't floss, maybe the week before the dentist. I try, but tbh, rarely happens for me either

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So many perfect parents and kids, I call BS.

Our kids don't floss, maybe the week before the dentist. I try, but tbh, rarely happens for me either

I didn't grow up flossing. My parents didn't floss. When I took my oldest child to the dentist, he taught her how to floss and since I was there, I learned too. Turned out I floss best with a kids flosser as opposed to adult floss. With each subsequent child, I got them flossing around 4 or 5 years old. They saw older siblings and parents doing it, so it seemed normal to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So many perfect parents and kids, I call BS.

Our kids don't floss, maybe the week before the dentist. I try, but tbh, rarely happens for me either

Yes it's that people on an anonymous forum are lying. It's not that you are gross.

[Anonymous]

My teenagers floss when they feel like it. I know it's not everyday. They also only brush once a day even though I tell them to do it twice. They're teens so the more I tell them to do it, the less they will. Only one cavity among the three of them so I guess it's good enough.

The pediatric hygienist talked mostly to the kids about how to improve their brushing because she knows the parents of older kids have little control over how they brush.

I have recently moved them away from the pediatric dentist to my own regular dentist since they no longer need to watch Disney movies while being worked on. The hygienist doesn't talk to me at all about their hygiene which is fine with me.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So many perfect parents and kids, I call BS.

Our kids don't floss, maybe the week before the dentist. I try, but tbh, rarely happens for me either

Yes it's that people on an anonymous forum are lying. It's not that you are gross.

No, people aren't lying, but people that are more likely to respond if they're doing the "right" thing. Even though it's anonymous, people still don't like admitting that they don't follow these sort of rules or best practices or whatever. It's the same thing when you do a car seat post -- the overwhelming majority of the responses are people who are very conservative (e.g., keep kids in 5-point harnesses or rear-facing beyond recommended age/weight).

[Anonymous]

My kids start flossing before 2. We all floss. So gross if you don't.

[Anonymous]

My adult dental hygienist is the same way. When I see the dentist he says I have amazing oral hygiene. I'm in my 40s have never had cavities or needed anything other than routine cleanings. When I see the hygienist she always points out issues. So switching to an adult dentist might not change anything.

My kids floss. We made it a part of bruising. They also use a tongue scraper. Add flossing and there should be enough improvement that they won't need to call you back and make you feel bad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My adult dental hygienist is the same way. When I see the dentist he says I have amazing oral hygiene. I'm in my 40s have never had cavities or needed anything other than routine cleanings. When I see the hygienist she always points out issues. So switching to an adult dentist might not change anything.

My kids floss. We made it a part of bruising. They also use a tongue scraper. Add flossing and there should be enough improvement that they won't need to call you back and make you feel bad.

Brushing not bruising.

[Anonymous]

I started flossing my kid's teeth before he even had enough to floss, just to start him getting used to it. He flosses nightly and as needed (e.g., after eating an ear of corn). He also uses an Oral B electric toothbrush with replaceable heads and received instruction from the dentist on how to use it (hold on each tooth surface for a count of 3 and then brush all molar surfaces after fully doing fronts & backs; don't glide along the teeth). He's 12 and doing great. I had horrid oral hygiene as a kid and have suffered for it (pain + finances) into adulthood, so it is a priority for our family.

[Anonymous]

Count me on team gross. Only floss occasionally.

Have also never had a cavity, so apparently something's working.

[Anonymous]

Of course kids floss. My kids' dentist said it was fine to floss my 3yo's teeth since she was interested.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Count me on team gross. Only floss occasionally.

Have also never had a cavity, so apparently something's working.

I'm so jealous. I was bad about flossing in my teens/early 20s and had SO MANY cavities. I now floss religiously once a day and am trying to form the habit to do so more often because it really helps for me.

[Anonymous]

I have bought so many products to help my son who wears braces to floss. None are easy for him to use. I need to send him to some of your houses!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess you either have good dental hygiene and pass it on to your kids or you don't.

I floss every day and so do my kids and it's not hard for them to do it correctly with the individual flossers. It's a non-negotiable. To me it's like saying you don't wash your hair or something. What? You have crusty ass food stuck in your teeth and do nothing about it? [shudder]

+1 To us, it is the same as taking a shower and washing your hair. It is just basic hygiene.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Count me on team gross. Only floss occasionally.

Have also never had a cavity, so apparently something's working.

Me too. Usually about a month before going to the dentist so I don't have to lie to the hygienist ("why yes, I do floss!"). I have had the occasional cavity, but every dentist I've been to has commented on what great shape my gums are in.

And there's this: https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2016/11/dont-toss-floss#:~:text=Researchers%20have%20found%20modest%20benefits,significantly%20better%20than%20toothbrushing%20alone.

There's really no good studies providing evidence of the benefits of flossing.