Funny how everyone has their “safe” foods and then suddenly those betray you after an adjustment.
Totally relate to this. I thought yogurt would always be my fallback, but after my last tightening, even that felt weirdly gritty? Ever notice how sometimes cold stuff is fine but room temp isn’t? Makes zero sense to me.
That’s wild—yogurt turning on you is just unfair. I get what you mean about the temperature thing though. For me, after a tough adjustment, ice cream was fine but mashed potatoes just felt... wrong? Maybe nerves get more sensitive to texture than temp? Still baffles me.
Mashed potatoes got me, too—never thought something so soft could feel so weird. I remember after my second tightening, even scrambled eggs felt gritty, almost like sand, which made zero sense. I always figured it was just the nerves being cranky, but maybe it’s more about our brains expecting one thing and getting another? Has anyone else noticed certain foods just taste different after a tightening, not just the texture? That one still throws me off.
That gritty scrambled eggs feeling—totally get it. It’s wild how even the softest foods can suddenly feel like chewing gravel after a tightening. I always chalked it up to my teeth just being sore, but you might be onto something with the brain thing. For me, it’s not just the texture, either. After a big adjustment, I swear tomato soup tasted almost metallic. Maybe it’s the pressure messing with the nerves or just my brain being dramatic about the whole process.
I’ve noticed cold foods seem extra weird, too. Ice cream used to be my go-to comfort food, but after a tightening, it feels like I’m biting into a frozen brick and sometimes the flavor is just... off? It’s like my mouth can’t decide what’s going on. The whole braces journey is full of surprises, honestly—never thought I’d be analyzing mashed potatoes and eggs so closely.
That metallic taste after a tightening is so real. I used to think I was just imagining it or maybe it was something I ate before my appointment, but nope—there’s definitely something weird going on with nerves or maybe even the blood flow in your mouth. I’ve had days where water tasted off, like it was straight from a rusty pipe. It’s wild how your senses get thrown for a loop.
I’m with you on the ice cream, too. People always say it’s the “perfect” food after braces work, but honestly, there were times it felt like punishment. I’d be craving something cold and soothing, and then it’d hit my teeth and I’d just kind of regret all my life choices up to that point. Sometimes even the flavor seemed muted, like I couldn’t taste anything except cold. I don’t think enough people talk about how much your sense of taste and texture gets messed with during this whole process.
For me, the biggest surprise was how even the texture of bread or pasta could feel totally wrong. I’d bite into a soft roll and it’d feel like chewing on packing foam. It’s not just pain, it’s like your whole mouth is confused. I remember thinking, “There’s no way this is normal,” but apparently it is. It’s not just soreness—it’s your nerves, your brain, everything trying to recalibrate.
The upside is, it does get easier to deal with. You start figuring out which foods are safe bets and which ones to avoid for a few days after an adjustment. I always kept a stash of room-temp applesauce and overcooked noodles around. Not glamorous, but it worked.
If it makes you feel any better, once the braces are off, your mouth stops being so dramatic about everything. I actually missed having an excuse to eat mashed potatoes for every meal... but not enough to go back.
