That metallic taste is something my daughter complains about every single time she gets her braces tightened. The first time, she swore it was from the gloves the orthodontist used, but nope—turns out it’s just part of the whole “braces adventure.” She also says water tastes weird, which I thought was just her being dramatic, but I tried a sip from her bottle after her last appointment and... yeah, definitely not normal. Kind of like licking a penny, if that makes sense.
Ice cream was a huge letdown in our house too. I was all ready to be the “fun parent” and brought home her favorite flavor, thinking it’d be the ultimate comfort food. She took one bite and gave me this look like I’d betrayed her. Said it was too cold and made her teeth ache in a way that almost felt like a brain freeze, but worse. She ended up eating lukewarm pudding for dinner instead. Not exactly what I imagined, but hey, whatever works.
The texture thing is so real. She’s always been a bread-lover, but after her first couple of tightenings, even soft dinner rolls were a no-go. She described it as “chewing on a sponge,” which honestly cracked me up, but I get it. It’s not just pain—it’s like her mouth doesn’t recognize food the same way for a few days.
We’ve gotten creative with meals. Applesauce, overcooked macaroni, and those little cups of mandarin oranges are on heavy rotation. She’s even started rating foods on a “braces pain scale,” which is both hilarious and weirdly helpful.
I’m curious—did anyone else’s sense of smell get weird, too? My daughter mentioned that certain foods just smelled “off” to her after an adjustment, even though the rest of us didn’t notice anything. I figured it was just her nerves being extra sensitive, but maybe it’s more common than I thought.
That metallic taste is all too familiar—I used to think it was just in my head, but it really does mess with how things taste for a while. I remember after my last tightening, even the smell of toast in the morning made me feel kind of queasy. Not sure if it’s the nerves or just my mouth being extra sensitive, but it definitely threw me off. I started sticking to things that didn’t have much smell or flavor, like plain yogurt or mashed potatoes, mostly because I didn’t want to waste money on food I couldn’t enjoy. Funny how something as simple as braces can mess with all your senses.
That metallic taste is the worst, right? I always figured it was just the wires or something, but my orthodontist said it’s partly from the pressure changing blood flow in your gums. I totally get what you mean about food—after a tightening, even coffee tasted weird for a few days. I’ve found that cold stuff like smoothies goes down easier, but the taste thing usually throws me off for at least a week. It’s wild how much it messes with your head and your appetite.
Wait, is that metallic taste really from blood flow changes? I always thought it was just the metal or maybe something with saliva. Now I’m kinda nervous—does that mean it’s messing with my gums more than I thought? Also, does the taste thing ever go away completely, or is it just something you get used to? I’m getting mine tightened for the first time next week and suddenly I’m overthinking every weird sensation.
Metallic taste totally threw me off too. First time they tightened my braces, I was convinced I’d licked a handful of spare change. For me, it faded after a day or two, but sometimes it pops back up if they really crank things. I don’t think it’s anything sinister with your gums—more like your mouth just being dramatic. You’ll probably get used to it, or at least learn to ignore it when you’re distracted by soup.
