I recently got braces to fix my teeth alignment, especially since my smile was kinda off-center. At first, I was pretty annoyed because it felt like nothing was happening for weeks. But then my orthodontist gave me this simple tip: take regular selfies (like once a week) from the same angle and lighting. Sounds silly, I know, but honestly it made a huge difference in noticing the subtle changes. When you see yourself every day, you don't really notice the progress, but comparing weekly pics side-by-side was super motivating.
Also, chewing sugar-free gum (with ortho approval of course) seemed to help ease the soreness after adjustments. Maybe it's just psychological, but hey, whatever works right?
Curious if anyone else has little tricks or hacks that made their braces journey easier or more bearable.
My daughter just got her braces on a couple months ago, and honestly, the selfie tip sounds genius—I wish we'd thought of that earlier. She keeps saying nothing's changing, but now I'm thinking it's probably just because she sees herself every day. The gum thing is interesting too...our ortho didn't mention it, but I'll definitely ask next time. Did you find any particular brand or flavor that worked best? She's pretty picky about gum flavors, lol.
The selfie thing really is a great idea—I wish I'd done that when I had braces. Honestly, your daughter probably won't notice much difference day-to-day because changes happen so gradually. I remember feeling exactly the same way, convinced nothing was happening until my ortho showed me before-and-after photos at my checkup. It was pretty surprising how much had actually shifted!
About the gum, my orthodontist was pretty chill about it too, as long as it was sugar-free. Personally, I found minty flavors worked best because they felt refreshing and didn't leave a weird aftertaste. Orbit spearmint was my go-to, but if she's picky, maybe try something milder like Trident original flavor? Fruity gums always tasted off to me with braces for some reason...but everyone's different.
Anyway, hang in there—before you know it, she'll be amazed at her new smile.
Totally agree about the gradual changes—it's funny how you don't notice anything until you look back at old pics. I remember feeling frustrated too, thinking my teeth weren't moving at all. But trust me, those subtle shifts add up over time. About gum, my ortho was stricter and said no gum at all, but honestly, I still chewed sugar-free occasionally (shh...). Minty flavors definitely felt cleaner, fruity ones just seemed weirdly sticky. Anyway, sounds like you're doing great—she'll be thrilled with the results soon enough.
I was always too nervous to chew gum with braces, even sugar-free...kept imagining brackets popping off or wires bending. But the selfie tip is smart, wish I'd thought of that earlier—it really helps seeing those tiny changes clearly. Glad it's working out for you.
