Keeping track of all the supplies is a whole thing, isn’t it? My kid started braces for an underbite last year, and I swear, our bathroom looked like a mini dental aisle for a while. What’s helped us (besides the checklist taped to the mirror) is doing a quick Sunday night inventory—just lining everything up and seeing what’s running low. That way, I’m not making emergency trips midweek when the wax runs out or the little brushes disappear.
The cost really does add up. We switched to store-brand mouthwash and found some cheaper alternatives for wax online—no difference so far, at least for us. For pain, we’ve tried a few things: ice packs right after tightening, sticking to soft foods for a day or two, and honestly just letting them binge-watch their favorite show as a distraction. Podcasts sound like a great idea too; I’ll suggest that next time.
Those tightening days… I wish there was a magic fix. It’s just one of those things you kind of have to ride out. But it does get easier as you figure out your own routine.
But it does get easier as you figure out your own routine.
I wish I could say it’s gotten easier for us, but honestly, some weeks it still feels like a scramble. The checklist idea is solid, but I’ve found that even with all the planning, my teen will still forget to use the little brushes or misplace the wax. As for pain, I know soft foods help, but we actually had better luck with warm saltwater rinses than ice packs—maybe just personal preference? Sometimes I feel like every mouth reacts a bit differently to all this.
Yeah, the checklist thing sounds great in theory, but honestly, we could wallpaper a room with all the “systems” I’ve tried to keep my kid on track. Half the time the little brushes end up in her backpack or just disappear into this weird black hole of dental supplies. And about pain—funny you mention warm saltwater rinses, because that’s actually what worked best for me too, not the cold stuff. Ice packs just made everything feel numb and weird. Everybody’s mouth seems to have its own quirks... sometimes I wonder if there’s really such a thing as a “normal” braces experience.
Totally hear you on the “black hole” of dental supplies—my kid’s wax and those little brushes seem to vanish into thin air, too. And yeah, saltwater rinses have always been my go-to for pain. I swear, the “normal” braces journey is just a myth… everyone’s got their own weird little issues. Sometimes I think the only universal thing is how unpredictable the whole process feels.
Seriously, it’s wild how fast those little dental tools disappear. I’ve bought more packs of wax than I can count, and somehow there’s never any when I actually need it. Saltwater rinses are a lifesaver though—my mouth would be a mess without them.
I totally get what you mean about the “normal” braces experience being a myth. Mine’s been all over the place, especially with an underbite. Some months things move fast, then nothing happens for ages… or something random pops up, like a bracket coming loose right before a trip. Has anyone else had to deal with those surprise setbacks? Sometimes I wonder if it ever feels straightforward for anyone.
