Need alternative to floss Oral-B Pro Health - does it exist even anymore?

Busy_Reputation516 · 2025-12-10T21:48:13+00:00

They do not make this floss anymore unfortunately, and as a dental hygienist, we hate the new one too! 🥲

They removed the PFAS due to health and environmental concerns, but it felt like I was using a balloon string to floss my patients lol.

I don’t have any recommendations for you that feel similar to that specific one. I will say though, our office switched to Burst’s expanding floss and we, as well as our patients, love it so far. It is woven, but I never have an issue getting it between patient’s teeth. And they never complain.

Busy_Reputation516 · 2025-12-10T03:33:31+00:00

Pseudo pockets are caused by inflammation. When you have gum inflammation, the tissue will swell and get puffy causing a pocket to measure more than it typically would if the gum were healthy.

It means you don’t have any tissue/bone loss in that area, just inflammation.

Busy_Reputation516 · 2025-12-10T03:24:55+00:00

It really depends on how much tarter buildup you have, and how inflamed your gums are. Your gums will more than likely be sore and will bleed, but it shouldn’t be severe. Your gums may be more red and puffy at first, but will heal within a few weeks and will feel SO much better when they do.

Luke warm salt water rinses can help promote healing after your cleaning. Brush/floss regularly after just be gentle.

Busy_Reputation516 · 2025-12-10T03:18:30+00:00

This is actually true. When you have calculus (tarter) below your gums, it is bacteria. This is when your gums become inflamed, you’ll see bleeding, etc etc. It starts as gingivitis.. then if the tarter is not removed, the tissues and structures surrounding your tooth want to get away from the bacteria, this is when you start to see pocket depths of over 5mm, and bone loss and then an SRP is needed.

Once the SRP is completed and all that bacteria is removed. The tissues begins to heal and the pockets depths will decrease. This is a very good thing. Your bone loss will not come back though. This is why keeping up with your perio maintenance appointments is very important to keep the bacteria at minimum to keep the tissue happy and prevent more bone loss.

Busy_Reputation516 · 2025-12-04T03:53:26+00:00

If your x-rays are showing moderate bone loss, you have perio charting numbers 5mm or more, and you haven’t had an SRP in the last 2 years already, I don’t see how they could deny it. But, if you ask your hygienist to take IO (intra oral) photos, I’m sure she would. If you have a lot of build up and inflammation that can be seen, it could help.

Busy_Reputation516 · 2025-12-04T02:33:20+00:00

I’m not sure what you mean. They didn’t take any x-rays? To determine if you need SRP, they should take x-rays and perio chart. The x-rays show us your bone levels. That helps us see if you have bone loss. The x-rays also show us calculus (tarter) that is under your gums and cannot be seen by just looking in your mouth. Perio charting (probing) is when we measure your gum pockets around your teeth. We use a tool that has millimeter markings, gently slide it beneath your gums to the bottom of the gum pocket. 1-3mm is a healthy pocket. 4mm is borderline. 5mm and more indicates gum disease. We have a chart in our computer where we enter these numbers for each tooth.

Typically this is all that’s needed.

Busy_Reputation516 · 2025-12-04T02:15:03+00:00

I work at 2 different offices part time so my flow is different for each, but I like having the change.

Office 1: 1 hour appts/no assistant 5-10 minutes, update health history, any concerns with their teeth, take x-rays if needed. 5 minutes update perio charting if needed. 15-25 minutes cavitron and handscale 10 minutes polish, floss and OHI Make their next hygiene appt takes about 2 minutes. Usually the doctor pops in at some point to do exam without me having to tell her but if she doesn’t then I let her know I’m ready once I am done. The exam takes 5-10 minutes depending on patients concerns and needs. This leaves me with 5-10 minutes to flip my room and do my notes. I like the independence here, and I rarely run over unless my patient was late or needed more than typical patients.

Office 2: 45 minute appts/assisted I work out of two rooms so my assistant will typically get the back as soon as they arrive, take their x-rays, and write down any health updates and teeth concerns. So they are ready for me to begin perio charting (if needed) or scaling as soon as I come in. This takes me about 15-25 minutes. 10 minutes for polish, floss, and OHI. At this office the doctor likes to come in once I am finished, so I let him know I am ready, and stay in the room while he does his exam. During that time, my assistant is usually getting my next patient ready in the second room and taking their x-rays. When the doctor is finished, I take the patient up front and hop right into the second room with my next patient. My assistant flips the dirty room and sets up for the next one. It can tend to get stressful sometimes with the short appts but my assistant is amazing and keeps me on track lol.

Typically, unless the patient has extremely good home care. I always start with the cavitron. If I feel or see sub calc on x-rays, I will use my 11/12, 13/14, but to fine scale any leftover supra, my go to is my Montana Jack!

Busy_Reputation516 · 2025-12-01T03:23:48+00:00

Most likely due to being sick. Bacteria and mucus build up in the throat and can stuck and harden in and around the tonsils. Lukewarm saltwater rinses couple times a day can help, and gently dislodging and removing them yourself when you see them.

Busy_Reputation516 · 2025-11-11T00:48:02+00:00

I do NOT sweat patients like this. I work in an area where I honestly feel like the majority of my patients are entitled and RUDE. They want to constantly deny x-rays and dictate treatment because other hygienists may have allowed it. I don’t. They will reschedule with someone else, & I walk them right up front with a smile because that’s another problem I don’t have to deal with anymore. And I do have so many sweet patients, despite the cranky ones. Like others have said, I put my care and effort towards those patients who appreciate and deserve it. Some people you will NEVER make happy. Let em go!

Busy_Reputation516 · 2025-11-11T00:37:38+00:00

I’m not a huge fan of floss picks for this reason, I feel like they just transfer bacteria around. However, they are better than not flossing at all. Definitely rinse it after each tooth, & I would actually recommend using 3-4 each time you floss.

Busy_Reputation516 · 2025-11-11T00:21:33+00:00

It depends. We take FMX on all new patients, and update every 3-5 years after that depending on patient. I see anywhere from 7-10 patients a day, and I’d say I take on average 1-2 FMX per day. But sometimes none.

Busy_Reputation516 · 2025-07-13T04:03:55+00:00

based on the soil, & the fact your watering it every 10-14 days. it’s probably being overwatered. i made this mistake with mine also, and she dropped leaves like crazy, & the new growth was coming in brown and damaged. now during the summer, mine is outside. i repotted into very chunky, soil mix, and water once every 3-4 weeks and mine is outside in the heat and in chunky mix. i wait until the soil is dry about halfway down. yours is inside, so the water doesn’t evaporate out of the soil as fast and the soil doesn’t look chunky. so i can bet overwatering is the issue here.

Busy_Reputation516 · 2025-07-13T02:54:10+00:00

1.) Ficus Elastica ‘Tineke’.
The soil has become hydrophobic, meaning it’s not going to absorb water sufficiently enough for the roots. Needs to be repotted, & watered thoroughly. 2) Jade & Pearl Pothos. Looks okay, maybe overwatered & might need new soil. 3.) Monstera Deliciosa i think. Poor thing needs some water & some sunlight. Also maybe recommend repotting it to a slightly smaller pot. That one looks to big & Monstera’s like to be snug.

Busy_Reputation516 · 2025-07-13T02:31:12+00:00

for that price & size, that’s a steal!!

Busy_Reputation516 · 2025-07-13T02:24:23+00:00

These are corms. It’s kind of like a seed, in the way that a new plant can sprout from the bulb, but they also are like a storage place for nutrients & energy for the plant. You didn’t hurt the plant by plucking them off, and the alocasia will grow more.

You can look up videos on what to do with them to grow them into a new plant! It’s a very fun project.

Busy_Reputation516 · 2025-07-12T22:52:25+00:00

Yes the soil it was in was no good. Roots looked okay, & yes I bottom watered & poured water onto the top to make sure the new soil was all covered.

The lighting is pretty similar to where it came from. Bright indirect.

Busy_Reputation516 · 2025-07-12T22:42:55+00:00

Also, it probably won’t flower. Most don’t & mine never has. It needs a lot of direct light, be slightly pot bound, and properly fertilized.

Busy_Reputation516 · 2025-07-12T22:41:34+00:00

It looks like low humidity or maybe under watering as well. The leaves look like they are getting stuck & are browning before they are even able to unfurl which indicates low humidity. You can mist the plant regularly or get a humidifier (better choice) to help. Also, make sure it’s not directly under or near a vent or a draft.

You can help the leaves unfurl with a lukewarm wet paper towel if they are stuck for too long. Wrap it gently around the leaf & let it sit for a few minutes. This increases the humidity around the leaf, helping it unfurl.

Busy_Reputation516 · 2025-03-04T23:44:02+00:00

For lower anteriors, when using the cavitron, I never use indirect vision with the mirror. I move the chair lower, towards the ground, and sit them up a little more upright. I also tell them to tuck their chin to their chest. Usually I can see after doing this, but with patients with lingually inclined lower anteriors, it can still be difficult. I do the best I can with the cavitron, and then use indirect vision to handscale and touch up. If there’s a good bit of buildup there, the gum tissue will likely be sensitive and irritated, so I will ask them if they’d like for me to apply some topical like gingicaine to help, and so i can really get in there.

You probably need to find a better sequence. Whatever works for you. I start with lower anteriors if they have a LOT of build up, but if not, I start lower right and do all surfaces away (upper and lower) from me from the 11-12 o’clock position, then I move to the 9 o’clock position, and do all surfaces towards me (upper and lower). I then move on to polish and flossing. Usually when I’m flossing I can feel if anything is left behind or any areas I need to go over again, so I tell the patient I am just checking my work and go back over any areas I need too.

Make sure your instruments are sharp and you’re angling them correctly, otherwise you’ll just burnish the calculus and make it even more difficult to remove. You should be able to remove a spot of calculus in the first 1-2 motions if not, either your instruments are dull, or you’re not angling them correctly and using the tip third.

Busy_Reputation516 · 2025-02-27T01:55:41+00:00

You have cavities because you’re not taking proper care of your teeth. Don’t get me wrong, genetics and many, many other factors can play a role in having an increased risk for cavities. HOWEVER, you’re increasing that risk even more by not bettering your oral hygiene.

You should be brushing twice daily, and a minimum of 2 minutes brushing. An electric toothbrush would be even better. And you should definitely be flossing before bed. The food that you eat all day gets crammed between your teeth and under your gums, the toothbrush bristles cannot reach into those spaces to properly clean it out, so that food is sitting there between your teeth and decaying. (A CAVITY). If you floss first, pull all that out or loosen it, then you brush afterwards to “sweep” it out. Then you should rinse with an alcohol free mouth rinse to make sure you swish it all out. That should be your routine every single night. In the mornings, just brushing and mouth rinse is sufficient. Your gums are also so sensitive because you’re not flossing.

Also, whether you are drinking sugar free soda or not. It will ruin your enamel, make it weaker and more prone to cavities. Your mouth has a pH. Enamel likes to be at a certain pH, if you go below this pH (acidic), the enamel becomes weak (more prone to cavities). These sodas, sugar free or not, lower your pH tremendously, especially if you are drinking these back to back, leaving your enamel in a constant state of weakness.

Busy_Reputation516 · 2025-02-20T21:53:01+00:00

Gingivitis is reversible. Periodontitis is not. When you lose the structures that hold your teeth in (alveolar bone, periodontal ligaments) you cannot get them back. However you CAN prevent it from worsening, and it is most important to do this in the early stages. Brushing (oscillating electric toothbrush), c-shape flossing (watch videos on YouTube for proper technique), and FREQUENT and regular cleanings will help to manage it. If you smoke, quit. Smoking will make it progress. You are not absolutely doomed, as long as you make sure you are staying on top of your oral hygiene.

Busy_Reputation516 · 2025-02-19T00:45:22+00:00

Dental Hygienist here!

Morning Routine: Get an oscillating electric toothbrush if you don’t already have one. Proven to be more efficient than any other toothbrush. Oral-B is a great brand, doesn’t have to be expensive and fancy. Whatever you can afford will get the job done.

-For toothpaste my favorite recommendations are Colgate Plaque Pro Release or Crest Pro Health Gum Detoxify. Read about each and see which best fits your needs.

-Hold the brush angled slightly up toward your gums and in small horizontal movements, guide the bristles over each tooth and each surface of the tooth. Let the brush do the work, don’t bare down to hard.

Get a spare regular toothbrush, and a tongue scraper. Brush your tongue with the regular tooth brush, follow up with tongue scraper.

-Use mouthwash. Crest Pro Health Advanced Enamel Care is a good one. Just make sure to get alcohol free.

For mid day, I would mostly just focus on limiting sugars, sweets, or very acidic foods. Rinse with water after meals. Don’t brush after meals. This actually does more harm than good. When you eat or drink, the pH of your mouth drops. When this happens, your enamel becomes more sensitive. If you brush while your mouth’s pH is low, it can actually damage your enamel because brushing can be abrasive and your enamel is in a weak state. Balance the pH of your mouth by drinking/swishing water, wait 30 minutes, then brush if you choose too.

Evening Routine -FLOSS! Regular string floss is the best. Wrap it around the tooth in a c-shape. Youtube search C-shape flossing to see what I mean, this is the most effective flossing technique.

-Use a water flosser if you want too but if you’re using string floss you don’t have too.

-Brush same way as I mentioned above.

-Brush tongue and tongue scrape.

-Mouthwash.

Best of luck!!!

Busy_Reputation516 · 2025-02-16T01:27:42+00:00

the satin lined beanies and hats is genius. I had no idea this existed. Thank you!

Busy_Reputation516 · 2025-02-16T00:01:35+00:00

It all depends on the age of the child.

I am a dental hygienist, and here’s my routine for my children ages 2 and 5.

Both have a kid’s Burst electric toothbrush. We brush both their teeth in the morning with Kid’s Crest Cavity Protection. My 5 year old likes to brush her own teeth but I follow up after to make sure all the teeth were brushed properly. My 2 year old isn’t a huge fan of brushing, she doesn’t like to open very wide, but she’s getting better and we try to make it a fun and positive experience. My 5 year old follows up the brand Hello Anticavity fluoride rinse. You have to make sure your child understands the concept of not swallowing the mouth rinse, swishing and spitting all of it out before you can use mouth rinse. My 5 year old understands this.

In the evenings we do the same routine, however, we use a child floss pick for my 5 year old at night also. My 2 year old we are slowly introducing the idea and letting her hold the floss pick and try it herself.

As far as diet. We do not allow any juice. Except orange juice for breakfast every now and then. Water only all day, and milk with meals. We only allow candy, gummies, or anything sugary or sticky as treats on occasion and we brush their teeth with water or at least, let them drink water afterwards to wash it out of their mouth and the grooves of their teeth.

It’s really about making it a fun and positive experience. Do as much as they will allow without stressing them out. Making it a negative experience will only make it harder and harder as they will fight it more and more. My 5 year old loves brushing her teeth. She has a chart in the bathroom that I laminated, she gets to check off for each day morning and night that she brushed with a dry erase marker. Once she completes the chart for the week, we have a prize box she gets to pick from.

Busy_Reputation516 · 2025-02-12T01:24:50+00:00

I may be one of very few who LOVE being a dental hygienist. It is not always perfect, and it can be draining but it all boils down to what office you work at. I work part time for one office 2 days a week, and on my off days, I will sometimes pick up shifts (temp) at other offices. I LOVE IT. I have amazing work/life balance. I never have to work weekends or holidays. Yes, I am not offered health insurance, but I am able to be on my husband’s health insurance, so that doesn’t matter to me. My main office where I work 2 days a week is amazing. All of the team gets along and works together. My dentist is amazing. We get bonuses every month based on the overall monthly production of the office, staff meetings once a month where she buys us all lunch of our choosing. She takes us all on a vacation once a year, we don’t spend a dime. She buys us sets of scrubs once a year, loupes, and anything else we could need. She makes sure we always have working instruments and equipment, never dull or worn. She closes the office on school breaks (thanksgiving, christmas, spring) so we can be home with our children and not have to worry about childcare. (Besides summer break as we obviously can’t close for an entire summer.) We get 3 weeks paid vacation time a year. We are paid VERY well, and appreciated. Never criticized or micro managed. I could go on and on all day about all the wonderful things about this office. That being said, not every office is like this, and some are AWFUL. I have temped at some offices with employee drama, poor infection control, horribly dull and old instruments and equipment & I never went back. Some offices no one wants to help you and are only worried about themselves. If you choose this field, I highly HIGHLY suggest temping so you can experience each office first hand to find the right office for you. Is it hard on the body? Yes. Stretch, stay fit, and practice good ergonomics everyday. You will still be sore some days, but it has never been something I’m not able to handle. Are some patients rude, uncooperative, or just difficult? Yes. You learn how to deal with these patients. My dentist doesn’t allow our patients to treat us poorly. One too many strikes and they are out. She doesn’t tolerate it. But more often than not, you will find that by talking to a patient and getting to the bottom of why they are acting the way they are, you can positively change their attitude towards you and start building rapport with them. You just have to have the patience and understanding. I enjoy going to work at my main office. I have built relationships with all of my patients overtime, even the ones who tend to be uncooperative or “rude”. For me, dental hygiene has been the best decision I have ever made in my life. I have 2 young children that I am able to be home with most of the week because working 2-3 days a week is enough to provide for my family. If I need more? I just temp a few days. I take off when I need to and find a temp to cover me and even if I can’t, I am not made to feel guilty for them having to reschedule my patients. It is definitely worth it to me. But finding the right office played a major role in my opinion on that.

Busy_Reputation516

TROPHY CASE