- Totally get what you mean about silicone—felt like chewing on a mouthguard half the time.
- Wax was my main go-to, but yeah, it’s like it vanished every time I ate something warm.
- Salt water rinses did more for my peace of mind than for actual pain, honestly.
- I tried using dental silicone once after a tech friend swore by it (said it was “next-gen wax,” lol). Didn’t love it.
- Anyone else try those ortho comfort strips? Curious if they’re any better or just another version of silicone.
I’ve actually tried those ortho comfort strips—picked them up on a whim after getting tired of wax melting away mid-meal. They’re a bit trickier to get in place at first, but I found they stayed put way better than wax or silicone, especially when drinking coffee or soup. Still not perfect (sometimes they’d peel off if I talked too much), but honestly, they felt less bulky than the silicone blobs. Didn’t make me feel like I was chewing on a hockey puck, at least… For me, it was a small upgrade over the usual options, but not a total game-changer.
I totally get what you mean about the wax just disappearing mid-meal. I tried those comfort strips too after my jaw surgery, but honestly, I was kind of nervous about putting anything new in my mouth (paranoid about infection, maybe?). I agree with you here:
Didn’t make me feel like I was chewing on a hockey puck, at least…
That’s exactly how the silicone felt to me—like way too much bulk, especially when my mouth was already sore and swollen. But I had trouble getting the strips to stick if my brackets were even a little wet, and sometimes I’d just give up and go back to salt water rinses. Not sure if it actually helped with pain, but at least it made me feel like I was doing something.
I still haven’t found a perfect solution. Some days I just try to tough it out, but then I end up anxious about damaging the inside of my cheeks. Anyone else just get stuck overthinking it?
But I had trouble getting the strips to stick if my brackets were even a little wet, and sometimes I’d just give up and go back to salt water rinses.
Same here, honestly. The strips never seemed to stay put for me either—especially after a meal or if I’d just brushed. I always worried about infection too, but my surgeon swore by salt water rinses for keeping things clean, so I stuck with that most days. Wax was hit or miss… half the time it melted away before lunch. Some days I’d just get frustrated and try to ignore it, but then I’d end up biting my cheek and regretting it later. It’s weird how something so small can mess with your head so much.
Wax was hit or miss… half the time it melted away before lunch.
Yeah, the wax situation is wild. I swear, I’d put it on in the morning and by the time my first Zoom meeting started, it was already gone. Salt water rinses actually felt like the only thing that made a noticeable difference for me. I know it sounds basic, but tech upgrades haven’t really hit the post-surgery mouth care market yet... where’s my nano-adhesive wax?
Honestly, toughing it out just led to more accidental cheek bites and a lot of cursing under my breath. At one point I even tried drying my brackets with a hair dryer (not recommended unless you like looking ridiculous). In the end, salt water and a bit of patience won out for me. If someone invents a wax that stays put after coffee, I’ll be first in line.