When I got my braces off last month, I expected to be all smiles, but honestly, my teeth felt super weird for a few days. Like, they were kinda sensitive and almost... slimy? What helped me was using a soft toothbrush, eating room-temp foods (nothing too hot or cold), and just giving it a few days. I also kept running my tongue over my teeth, which probably didn't help, but couldn't stop. Anyone have better tricks to get used to that odd feeling faster?
Totally get what you mean about the slimy feeling—when I got my braces off, I legit thought my teeth felt like glass for a week. It’s wild how your tongue just wants to check every square millimeter, right? Honestly, I didn’t find any magic fix besides time. Maybe try distracting yourself with a new game or binge-watching something? The weirdness fades before you know it. And hey, at least you can eat popcorn again...
That glassy, slippery feeling is so real. I remember sitting in the car after my appointment and running my tongue over my teeth nonstop—couldn’t help it. It almost felt like they weren’t even mine at first, like I’d gotten veneers or something. The tongue thing is wild too. I kept catching myself poking at the back of my teeth, half expecting to find brackets still glued on.
Honestly, I didn’t find any quick solution either. A few friends swore by chewing gum (sugar-free, obviously) just to distract their mouths, but I couldn’t get into it. For me, it was more about just letting my mouth adjust. I did notice that eating foods I’d missed—like biting into a whole apple, or yeah, popcorn—helped normalize things. It’s like your brain needs a few days to realize “hey, this is the new normal,” and then you stop noticing every tiny sensation.
One thing I’d add: my gums felt a bit tender for the first week, especially where the brackets used to be. Salt water rinses helped a little with that weird sensitivity. Not sure if that’s super common, but figured I’d mention it in case anyone else is dealing with it.
It’s kind of funny how you spend so long with braces and then suddenly everything feels off when they’re gone. But it does fade, and honestly, it’s such a relief to brush and floss without fighting wires. That alone made the weirdness worth it for me.
That first brush after getting braces off was surreal for me—I kept expecting to catch a wire with my toothbrush. I agree, salt water rinses helped with the tenderness. Honestly, just being able to floss normally felt like such a win.
That “slimy” feeling is spot on—mine felt almost squeaky, like I couldn’t tell if they were clean or just weirdly smooth. Sensitivity-wise, I found using toothpaste for sensitive teeth helped a bit, and I avoided citrusy stuff for a week or two. The urge to keep running your tongue over them is real; honestly, I think it just takes time for your brain to stop expecting brackets and wires. I did notice that switching to waxed floss made things less irritating at first, since my gums were still kind of tender.
