Making braces adjustments less of a pain (literally): my go-to trick

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.

That whole protein monotony is real - eggs get old fast. I ended up leaning hard on Greek yogurt and cottage cheese, though I know not everyone’s a fan. Silken tofu’s a smart move, honestly. And the wax... yeah, I’ve tried every trick in the book, from drying with a tissue to using tweezers, but once food gets involved, it’s like it has a mind of its own. I do think saltwater rinses help keep the irritation down a bit, even if they don’t fix the lisp. At this point, I just accept I’ll sound like Daffy Duck for a few days.

I do think saltwater rinses help keep the irritation down a bit, even if they don’t fix the lisp.

Saltwater rinses really do make a difference, at least for me - less stinging after meals. I still struggle with wax too, especially after eating. Sometimes switching to an orthodontic silicone instead of regular wax holds up better. It’s not perfect, but less annoying.

Sometimes switching to an orthodontic silicone instead of regular wax holds up better. It’s not perfect, but less annoying.

I’ve seen a lot of patients have better luck with silicone too - it doesn’t break down as fast after eating. Personally, I always found the taste of the regular wax a bit off, especially if it mixed with food. One trick that helped me was drying the brackets really well before applying silicone. Makes a surprising difference in how long it stays put.

My kiddo actually hated the silicone - she said it felt too thick and kept falling off if she had anything remotely chewy. We went back to the regular wax, even though yeah, the taste is a little weird sometimes. She got used to it after a while, especially if she rinsed her mouth out first. I do agree about drying the brackets, though. We used a little piece of tissue to dab them dry before putting on the wax, and it seemed to help it stick better. Maybe it just depends on the person? Every mouth is different, I guess. It’s funny how something so small can make such a big difference in comfort.

That’s interesting, because I actually found the silicone way easier to use than the regular wax. The texture just felt less sticky to me. Did your kid notice any difference in how long each one lasted? I’m worried about the taste thing, honestly... does it go away after a bit?

I totally get the worry about the taste - honestly, that was my biggest concern at first, too. For me, the silicone did have a bit of a weird aftertaste right when I put it on, but it faded pretty quickly, like within a few minutes. I was so focused on not poking my cheek that I barely noticed it after that. As for how long it lasted, I found the silicone stayed put longer than the regular wax, especially overnight. My only complaint was getting it off my brackets sometimes took extra rinsing. But overall, I’d go with silicone again just for comfort.

That aftertaste is something, isn’t it? I remember the first time I tried silicone, I thought I’d accidentally licked a balloon. Didn’t last long though, like you said. I do agree it stays put way better than wax - especially if you’re a teeth grinder like me. Only downside for me was sometimes it felt a bit too sticky when I tried to take it off in the morning. Still beats waking up with sore cheeks, though.

That balloon taste is wild, right? I still remember the first time a patient asked me if they could use flavored wax because the silicone was “too weird.” Honestly, I’ve tried both on my own braces and yeah, silicone’s got staying power, but it’s a pain to peel off sometimes - especially if you’re half-asleep. Ever tried warming it up a bit before removal? Makes it less like peeling off old gum. Curious, do you find it leaves little bits stuck in your brackets, or is that just me being clumsy pre-coffee?

Yeah, that weird aftertaste is hard to forget. I totally get what you mean about silicone sticking - sometimes I feel like I’m picking out tiny bits for ages, especially if I rush it. Warming it up does help, but I still end up with little pieces wedged in the brackets. Maybe it’s just how my teeth are spaced? Or maybe I’m just not patient enough before coffee either...

I totally relate to the silicone getting stuck, especially if I’m in a hurry. What’s worked for me is rolling the wax or silicone into a super thin strip and pressing it in slowly, kind of molding it around each bracket instead of just smushing it on top. If I skip that step, I always end up picking out little bits later. It might be the spacing, but honestly, I think patience makes a big difference - if I rush before my morning coffee, it’s a mess too. Maybe try breaking it into smaller pieces? That seemed to help me save both time and money since I wasn’t wasting as much material.

If I skip that step, I always end up picking out little bits later.

Funny enough, I’ve actually had the opposite experience - breaking it into super tiny pieces just made it fall apart more for me, and I’d find stray bits stuck everywhere. What’s worked better (especially when I’m half-asleep) is using one slightly bigger piece and flattening it out to cover a few brackets at once. It’s not as precise but way less fiddly for my clumsy mornings. Maybe it’s just a personal quirk, but less handling = less mess for me.

using one slightly bigger piece and flattening it out to cover a few brackets at once

That’s interesting - I’ve always been nervous about using bigger pieces because I worried they’d just slide off or get stuck in my gums. Maybe I’m just overthinking it. I do like the idea of less fiddling, especially first thing in the morning when my hands aren’t exactly steady. Do you ever find the bigger pieces make it harder to eat, or do you just take them out before meals?

Yeah, I get what you mean about bigger pieces feeling awkward. For me, they sometimes shift if I talk a lot, but honestly, I always take them out before eating - otherwise it just gets messy and annoying. It’s worth it for less poking in the mornings, though.