carry-on-my-wayward-butt:

LET ME EDUCATE YOU ABOUT FLOSSING

Listen friends, flossing is mad important, ok?

And i’m not just gonna say that and be done with it, I know you’re a smart bunch and you want answers, so I’m gonna give them to you!

the dentist stabs me and says “you’re bleeding bc you don’t floss.” why the hell??

• They do a thing during routine checkups called “checking your pockets”
• It’s to make sure you don’t have gingivitis
• extremely bad gingivitis is called periodontitis and it’s awful. Here’s google images but forreal it’s fucking nasty.

this is what they are “stabbing you” for

Here is a more detailed diagram of the progression from healthy teeth to advanced periodontitis that is also fucking nasty

If you are bleeding during a pocket check, it is because your gums are inflamed and separated from the tooth.

But why are my gums inflamed and separated from my tooth??

• There is tartar on your teeth! (Dentists like to call it ‘calculus’ bc they’re snooty)

Here is the least disgusting picture of mild-to-moderate tartar i could possibly find

it sits on your tooth bt your teeth and gums and can make your teeth super sensitive or make you bleed when you brush. It inflames the gums bc it’s a foreign substance. It’s not supposed to be there!

This is usually when you get your teeth cleaned.

If getting your teeth cleaned hurts so much you need a shot, it is because you have so much inflammation and tartar that it’s reaching the roots of your teeth. Ouch!

Once your teeth are cleaned, it’s important that you floss because the floss will hook onto the annoying tartar b/t your teeth and yank it out before it has a chance to weasel b/t your teeth and gums and harden and get all pointy and hurt a lot.

You can either floss or use the floss brush thing, either way, something needs to venture in between your teeth and get that tartar out!

Jesus Christ why isn’t brushing enough??

• brushing only gets the sides and top of your teeth!
• even if it gets a little bit in between, it won’t go all the way through to the other side
• if it doesn’t go through all the way, tartar will stick into the little spaces where a brush won’t reach!
• you need to floss, brush, and gargle to get the full effect of a fulfilled dental routine :)

Goddammit i have to use mouthwash too?? i thought it was optional!!

• swishing and gargling is what gets the little bits that weren’t spit out after flossing and brushing!
• you could rinse w water if you wanted to but a mouthwash is a better decision because of the added benefits each mouthwash brings
• read the labels for whatever mouthwash you think will benefit your unique situation the most

i s2g if there is anything else

• REGULAR DENTAL CHECKUPS!

this is way too fuckin much

• welcome to basic dental hygiene friend

I hope this was very informative and i hope you floss regularly! :)