Last night I watched a movie, ate some popcorn, and got one of those pesky kernels stuck in my teeth. After aggressively fishing it out, I noticed my gum was bleeding a bit. That got me thinking about one of our most common questions from patients: “Why does flossing make my gums bleed?”

Generally, flossing should not cause your gum to bleed. If it does, consider it an early sign of periodontal (gum) disease and get yourself to a hygienist.

Flossing is important. When you brush and skip flossing, you miss cleaning 35% of your teeth. The harmful bacteria that is left behind causes irritation and inflammation. If left untreated, the bacteria can get into your bloodstream or cause irreversible jaw bone damage.

So the short answer is “No”. Flossing does not make your gums bleed. Bacteria and infection does.

-Sarah

If you have any questions about flossing or your oral health, we are happy to answer them. Call our office at 207-781-2448!

We get this question all the time from patients who want straight teeth without traditional braces, so I thought we’d better share it with our whole patient family.

How do I clean my invisible braces?

The “invisible” braces we offer our patients can be removed for brushing and flossing. The aligners do not need special cleaning treatment and the best part is you get a new set every 2 weeks. You may notice that dental plaque will accumulate on the aligners just as it does on your teeth. You can brush the aligners with a toothbrush or other small brush to remove this plaque and prevent staining.

If you want a “deeper cleaning”, you can also make a soaking solution by diluting hydrogen peroxide with water (equal parts). Hydrogen peroxide will help kill bacteria. If you have an old set of aligners, experiment using the new cleaner on them before you use it with your current set.

* Remember to use warm (not hot) water when cleaning your aligners so they do warp.

If you have other questions about your invisible braces treatment, feel free to call us at 781-2448!