I always wondered if salt water was just a placebo, but honestly, my stitches felt less angry after a few days of swishing. Wax never stayed put for me either—plus, it tasted weird. Has anyone ever tried silicone covers instead? I heard about them but never gave it a shot.
Salt water always sounded too simple to actually do anything, but I swear it helped me too—maybe it’s just the gentle rinsing? Either way, my gums felt way less cranky after a few days. Wax was a disaster for me, honestly. I’d finally get it on, then it’d fall off mid-sentence or just dissolve into this weird, gritty mess. Plus, I never got used to the taste... like chewing on a candle.
I did try those silicone covers once, though. They’re a bit trickier to find, but they actually stayed put way better than the wax. Didn’t taste like much either, which was a win. Only downside for me was that they felt a little bulkier, but I’ll take that over stabbing wires any day. If you can get your hands on them, they might be worth a shot, especially if you’re tired of playing “find the wax” every time you eat.
I get what you mean about the wax—mine always seemed to disappear right when I needed it most, and the texture was just... weird. But I’m actually surprised you found the silicone covers bulkier. For me, they felt kind of less noticeable after a while, maybe because they didn’t break apart like wax does? I guess it depends on the brand or maybe how much you use at a time.
About salt water, though—I’m still a little skeptical.
I always wondered if it’s really the salt or just the act of swishing that calms things down. Did you ever try using a medicated rinse instead? My surgeon suggested chlorhexidine for a bit, and it honestly made a bigger difference for me, especially with swelling.“Salt water always sounded too simple to actually do anything, but I swear it helped me too—maybe it’s just the gentle rinsing?”
I’ve also heard some people just tough it out and skip all the covers, but that sounds brutal. Not sure how anyone manages with those wires poking around. Maybe my pain tolerance is just low, but I’ll take a slightly awkward silicone blob over raw cheeks any day.
Totally agree about the covers—no way I could just “tough it out.” Tried that for half a day and instantly regretted it. My cheeks were shredded. Honestly, chlorhexidine was a game changer for me too, but I always worried about staining my teeth. Salt water felt like it helped, but maybe that’s just psychological? Either way, I’ll take anything over raw wire pokes... my pain tolerance is basically nonexistent.
Man, I hear you on the raw wire pokes—felt like my cheeks were in a blender. I tried “toughing it out” for about an hour and immediately ran for the wax. I get nervous about chlorhexidine too, but honestly, salt water just feels less scary. Maybe it’s placebo, but hey, if it works, it works, right?
