Do you find that your teeth hurt after you get done flossing? While it may not seem like a normal thing to feel, there are many others who experience this too. This is a common situation for many, especially if someone is flossing for the first time. However, if you continue to experience pain between your teeth when flossing it could be an indication of a more serious dental problem. Before you run to your dentist, it’s important to know some of the common causes of the pain you experience after flossing.

New at Flossing

If you just started flossing your teeth, it could be that the pain you are experiencing is coming from an improper flossing technique. There are proper techniques that you should follow in order to floss your teeth effectively without pain. If you are new to doing this, putting a sharp piece of rope in between each one of your teeth takes a gentle touch or could end up badly quickly. It’s important to change your approach and rather than being an aggressive flosser, you should be gentler and make slower movements in between each tooth. Once you begin this approach, your pain should start to go away.

Tooth Decay

While you can brush and floss your teeth consistently every day, it’s possible that some bacteria can get lodged in between your teeth to cause tooth decay. When bacteria builds up over time, it can become very painful to floss as bacteria most commonly tends to gather around the corners and between your teeth.

Sensitivity

You can experience tooth sensitivity for many reasons. We all know that sensitive teeth can sometimes be painful and uncomfortable. Flossing is one way that you might experience sensitive teeth or tooth pain. Another way is after drinking hot or cold beverages, you could experience some sensitivity. Look out for these signs when you’re flossing regularly or when you are consuming food or drink.

Gum Disease

The worst-case scenario for why your teeth hurt after flossing is gum disease. It’s also referred to as gingivitis and occurs when there is a substantial amount of bacteria between your teeth and gums causing an infection. Some of the most common signs of gum disease include bleeding and swollen gums, redness and inflammation, and tenderness to the touch. It’s quite common to experience a substantial amount of pain when brushing your teeth or flossing since you are removing plaque and bacteria from your teeth. If you think you are dealing with gum disease, it’s best to consult your dentist right away as it can be reversed before it progresses into periodontal disease.

If you still have concerns about your teeth hurting after flossing, please reach out to us at Derksen Dentistry to schedule an appointment as there could be underlying oral health problems. Talking to your dentist will help you find the best plan of action to help relieve your pain and get you on the road to good oral hygiene.