Every time my ortho tightens my braces, I swear I turn into a chipmunk for like two days. Chewing anything harder than mashed potatoes is just not happening. Anyway, the best little lifehack I’ve found is to schedule my tightening appointments in the late afternoon or evening, and then have a stash of soft foods ready before I even leave for the appointment. Soup, yogurt, instant mashed potatoes, mac & cheese—whatever you like, but make sure it’s easy on the teeth.
I also pop an ibuprofen about 30 minutes before my visit (my orthodontist said it’s fine, but maybe double-check if you’re not sure), and that seems to take the edge off the ache that kicks in a couple hours later. Not saying it works for everyone, but it’s made the whole process way less miserable for me.
Oh, and one more thing: if your ortho gives you those tiny wax pieces, use them right away after a tightening. For some reason, new wire pokes are always worse after an adjustment. Maybe it’s just me?
Curious what other people do to cope after their wires get cranked—does anyone else have weird rituals or tricks? Or am I just overthinking this whole thing?
Chewing anything harder than mashed potatoes is just not happening.
You’re not overthinking it at all. My kiddo goes through the same thing after every adjustment—she basically lives on smoothies and scrambled eggs for a couple days. I actually think planning ahead with soft foods is genius, not just a “lifehack.” And that wax? Total lifesaver. I used to think she was being dramatic, but those wire pokes are no joke. Hang in there—it really does get easier over time, even if it doesn’t feel like it right after an appointment.
And that wax? Total lifesaver. I used to think she was being dramatic, but those wire pokes are no joke.
Right? I totally underestimated the wax at first too—now we’ve got stashes in every bag and car cupholder just in case. My daughter’s gotten really creative with her “braces menu” after appointments... she actually looks forward to instant mashed potatoes (with way too much butter) and those little cups of pudding. The first couple days are always rough, though. It’s wild how even something like a banana can feel like chewing gravel.
Curious if anyone’s found any tricks for getting protein in during those soft food days? We do eggs and yogurt but she gets bored fast. Oh, and has anyone else had issues with the wax not sticking well when there’s a lot of drool (sorry, TMI)? Sometimes it just slides right off, which is so frustrating.
Curious if anyone’s found any tricks for getting protein in during those soft food days? We do eggs and yogurt but she gets bored fast.
Protein shakes were my go-to after my first adjustment—honestly, I didn’t even care about the taste because chewing anything felt impossible. Cottage cheese (blended for extra smoothness) was tolerable too. As for the wax, I totally get you... if my mouth was even a little wet, it just slid right off. I started drying the spot with a tissue first, which helped a bit, but it’s still hit or miss. The struggle is real.
Title: Making Braces Adjustments Less of a Pain (Literally): My Go-To Trick
The protein struggle is real—scrambled eggs lost their charm for me after week two. I started mixing silken tofu into smoothies for a change, or sometimes even blending beans into soups. Not exactly gourmet, but desperate times... As for the wax, drying the spot first is genius, but I swear it still migrates the second I try to eat. I’ve basically accepted that I’m just going to have a lisp for a few days post-adjustment.
