"Now I just swish water after eating and do a quick floss before bed...it really does become second nature eventually."
Totally agree with this. When I first got braces, I was super meticulous too—carried floss picks everywhere and checked my teeth constantly. Over time, you just naturally find your rhythm and relax a bit. It's all about building those habits gradually.
Glad I'm not the only one who started out obsessively checking mirrors after every bite...felt like a paranoid chipmunk. Still early days here, but reassuring to hear it gets easier with time. Guess patience really is key.
Honestly, patience helps, but I'd argue it's more about building a solid routine than just waiting it out. Once you find your rhythm—like flossing after dinner or quick rinses between meals—the mirror checks naturally fade away. Worked wonders for me, anyway...
"Once you find your rhythm—like flossing after dinner or quick rinses between meals—the mirror checks naturally fade away."
Haha, that's so true. I remember my first week with braces, I was practically glued to the mirror after every snack. It was exhausting! But once I started carrying around one of those tiny travel toothbrushes and set a reminder on my phone for quick clean-ups, things got way easier. Honestly, it's less about patience and more about tricking yourself into good habits without even realizing it...worked for me, at least.
"Honestly, it's less about patience and more about tricking yourself into good habits without even realizing it...worked for me, at least."
Haha, I feel this on a spiritual level. I'm still in that early stage where I'm paranoid about every little thing stuck in my brackets. Last weekend, I went out for pizza with friends and ended up spending half the meal subtly checking my reflection in my phone screen—talk about awkward. But your tip about the travel toothbrush is spot-on. I finally caved and bought one of those mini dental kits to stash in my bag, and it's been a lifesaver. Now I just need to stop obsessively asking people if there's spinach in my teeth when I haven't even eaten spinach...baby steps, right?
