We went through this with my daughter last year and honestly, the simplest things worked best for her too. She tried the numbing gels, but they just made her mouth feel weird and didn’t last long. Here’s what actually helped: first, she’d rinse with warm saltwater right after dinner. Then, if it was a really rough day, she’d wrap a cold washcloth and gently press it to her cheeks—less messy than ice chips, and she could still watch TV. I was surprised how much difference those old tricks made compared to the fancy stuff from the store. Funny how that works.
I get what you mean about the old-school tricks, but honestly, saltwater rinses never did much for me—just made my mouth taste weird. I actually found chewing on a really soft silicone mouthguard helped distract from the pain. Maybe it’s just a mind-over-matter thing?
My daughter just started with braces a few months ago, and I have to admit, the pain management part has been a real learning curve for us. Saltwater rinses didn’t do much for her either—she complained more about the taste than anything else. We tried the silicone mouthguard idea, but I was a little worried she’d end up biting too hard and hurt herself. Ended up sticking with cold packs and soft foods, but it’s always a bit of trial and error. I wish there was a one-size-fits-all solution, but every kid seems to react differently.
Weirdest thing that worked for my nephew was chewing on a cold, damp washcloth. Sounds odd, but he said it helped more than ice packs. Ever try dental wax? My niece swore by it when her brackets rubbed her cheeks raw. Not sure why some tricks work for some kids and not others...
Funny, my go-to was always biting on a frozen banana—never thought a washcloth would do the trick, but hey, whatever works. Dental wax was a total lifesaver for me too. Did anyone else get those weird ulcers that pop up out of nowhere? I always wondered if certain foods made it worse or if it was just random.