What’s your go-to after jaw surgery: wax, salt water, or just toughing it out?

swimmer49 · 2026-03-01T17:19:26Z

Alright, quick poll for the folks who’ve had jaw surgery and braces (or anything similar). When your mouth’s all sore, stitches are still in, and you’re trying not to drool soup everywhere… what’s your main move for dealing with the weird pain and irritation from brackets and wires? 1. Orthodontic wax—like, do you just slap that stuff on every sharp bit and hope for the best? 2. Salt water rinses—swish and spit, repeat a million times a day? 3. Just kinda tough it out, maybe with some ibuprofen and a lot of cursing under your breath? 4. Something else I haven’t thought of? (Ice packs? Popsicles? Crying into your pillow?) I’ll be honest, I was a wax person for the first week, but then it kept falling off and getting stuck in the stitches, so I switched to salt water and it actually helped a ton. Still, there were a few nights where I just gave up and tried to sleep through the ache. My ortho said to avoid mouthwash with alcohol, but I totally forgot once and wow, that was a mistake. Curious what everyone else does. Do you stick with one thing, or just try whatever seems less annoying in the moment? Any weird home remedies that actually worked for you?

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At one point I even tried drying my brackets with a hair dryer (not recommended unless you like looking ridiculous).

That made me laugh—I remember trying to pat mine dry with tissue, which just left little bits stuck everywhere. Honestly, I had the same issue with wax disappearing before I’d even finished breakfast. Salt water was a lifesaver for me too, especially when everything felt raw. Patience is tough, but it really does help. If someone ever cracks the code on coffee-proof wax, they’ll make a fortune.

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What’s your go-to after jaw surgery: wax, salt water, or just toughing it out?

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