Brushing and flossing question

[MountainMama]

My 13 year old daughter has braces. She has been diligent in brushing and flossing and her dentist and orthodontist have commented in the past that she brushes well. She brushes twice daily and flossed daily.

Yesterday she had a bracket come off from her braces and we made a trip in to her orthodontist. She mentioned that her gums were bleeding when she brushed and flossed. I looked when we got there and her gums around her front teeth were red and irritated looking with some blood visible. I asked if she was brushing or flossing too hard and she said she has been doing it more vigorously lately. I told her to ask the orthodontist about it.
It was a new orthodontist and she told her that she wasn’t brushing or flossing well enough. She showed her that she had a line of plaque around where the bracket had been on the top. She said everywhere else looked good, but to brush and floss better.

I am torn, because I am thinking she was brushing and flossing too roughly. Should she try easing off how rigorously she brushes and see if it improves? Or continue with her usual routine and be more diligent?

 

[MumOfBoys1985]

@MountainMama in order to be "more thorough" she doesn't need to be rough with it. If I brush too harshly my gums feel sore and bleed. But if I am more thorough I.e spend more time (4 mins instead of 2) then they don't. It might be she needs to lengthen the duration she brushes for. Our dentist noticed I had missed a couple of small areas when brushing my sons teeth (he's autistic and has a very lively tongue which makes it challenging) so she suggested to start in the spot that's most difficult to do, and end in that spot also, that way you know you're doing a thorough clean.

 

[MountainMama]

@MountainMama in order to be "more thorough" she doesn't need to be rough with it. If I brush too harshly my gums feel sore and bleed. But if I am more thorough I.e spend more time (4 mins instead of 2) then they don't. It might be she needs to lengthen the duration she brushes for. Our dentist noticed I had missed a couple of small areas when brushing my sons teeth (he's autistic and has a very lively tongue which makes it challenging) so she suggested to start in the spot that's most difficult to do, and end in that spot also, that way you know you're doing a thorough clean.

Thank you. That makes sense.

 

[Cosmo]

It may not apply to your daughter but I had ongoing trouble with my mouth getting red and irritated, and of course the worse it gets the more you brush and use mouthwash. I was highly allergic to something in regular toothpaste and mouthwash. I ended up using Jason toothpaste and found a xylitol mouthwash to remineralise. Also, for artificial bits in the mouth the Waterpik is a godsend! Another thing that I didn't learn til I was older is that a softer toothbrush is better as it gets into crevices better- who knew!

 

[MountainMama]

It may not apply to your daughter but I had ongoing trouble with my mouth getting red and irritated, and of course the worse it gets the more you brush and use mouthwash. I was highly allergic to something in regular toothpaste and mouthwash. I ended up using Jason toothpaste and found a xylitol mouthwash to remineralise. Also, for artificial bits in the mouth the Waterpik is a godsend! Another thing that I didn't learn til I was older is that a softer toothbrush is better as it gets into crevices better- who knew!

I don’t think she is allergic. She has never had issues before. The orthodontist gave her an electric toothbrush when she started and said to use that (it has a soft head), and she is not using mouthwash.

She has been brushing regularly still, but easing up on the vigor and it isn’t red and irritated anymore. I think it truly was her brushing too roughly. We will have to ask the dentist when she goes in next month.

 

[Gordon]

Sorry to butt in, but having some experience of teenagers, it's probably more to do with lack of thoroughness rather than aggressive brushing. Especially if she was using an electric brush. They designed to cut power on excessive force.

 

[MountainMama]

Sorry to butt in, but having some experience of teenagers, it's probably more to do with lack of thoroughness rather than aggressive brushing. Especially if she was using an electric brush. They designed to cut power on excessive force.

Thanks @Gordon! I didn’t realize that about electric toothbrushes. So she just is not doing the best on the top part of her teeth and gums, apparently. She is usually such a perfectionist that I would have thought it was rough brushing so that insight helps.
I will check in with her for several days after morning brushing. I don’t want to hover too much, since she is a teen after all. She was embarrassed though, so I would guess she will try to correct it. She hates being told she didn’t brush well enough. She has always been paranoid about her teeth. They are more yellowish than most kids. The doctor said it could have to do with all the antibiotics she had as a baby. She was a preemie and had a multitude of respiratory illnesses before her 2nd birthday, including several bouts of pneumonia.

 

[Gordon]

Get her some disclosing tablets and let her check for herself then? It's difficult to clean well around fixed appliances, they're awful plaque traps.

 

[MountainMama]

@Gordon That is a great idea! We used those when she was younger. I will ask the hygienist if she will check her brushing technique at her next visit also. She has a cleaning next month.

 

[Gordon]

Sounds great. We used to put disclosing tablets into peoples' drinks at parties when we were students. We knew how to have fun

 

[MountainMama]

Sounds great. We used to put disclosing tablets into peoples' drinks at parties when we were students. We knew how to have fun

Haha! Oh, I can imagine what that looked like!