That rock-chewing feeling is all too familiar. I remember back when I had braces, I’d wake up and swear my jaw had been in a wrestling match overnight. Tried the warm salt water trick—helped a bit, but not a miracle. Did anyone else find that chewing on a cold, wet washcloth before bed soothed things? Also, curious if that mouthguard made it harder to breathe at night? I always worried it’d feel bulky.
Honestly, the mouthguard thing bugged me way more than the pain from the braces themselves. I tried one of those bulky ones and just couldn’t get used to it—kept feeling like I was gonna choke if I rolled onto my back. Never tried the cold washcloth, but frozen grapes were my go-to. Did you ever mess with those silicone wax strips? They helped with the bracket pokes but not so much the jaw ache...
