Honestly, I get what you mean about salt water rinses, but I haven’t noticed much difference with them myself. Maybe I’m doing it wrong or just expecting too much? What’s helped me more is actually biting gently on a cold, damp washcloth for a few minutes. It sounds weird, but it numbs things enough to let me fall asleep. The sugar-free gum thing is a total letdown though—mine just crumbles instantly. Anyone else feel like painkillers barely touch this kind of ache?
That’s wild, I thought I was the only one struggling with the gum thing—mine just turns to mush too. I’ve tried salt water rinses like everyone says, but honestly, I can’t tell if it’s helping or not. The painkillers barely make a dent for me either. The cold washcloth trick sounds worth a shot though… I usually just end up lying there, counting down until it stops throbbing. First time with braces, so I’m still figuring out what actually works.
Man, I totally get the mushy gum thing—mine felt like it was melting the first week. Salt water rinses didn’t do much for me either, honestly. I started using orthodontic wax on the brackets at night, and that helped a bit with the rubbing, but not so much with the actual ache. What really made a difference was switching to soft foods before bed (like mashed potatoes or yogurt), so I wasn’t aggravating my teeth right before trying to sleep.
The cold washcloth trick is decent, but sometimes I’d just put an ice pack on my cheek for a few minutes instead. Not a miracle cure, but it sort of numbs things for a bit. Painkillers didn’t work great for me either—ibuprofen was slightly better than acetaminophen, but still not amazing.
Weird tip: I noticed if I kept my head propped up with extra pillows, the throbbing wasn’t as intense. Maybe it’s gravity or something? Anyway, hang in there... it does get less brutal after the first month or so.
Man, I remember that first week like it was yesterday—felt like my teeth were staging a full-on protest. The mushy gum thing is real. And yeah, salt water rinses? Didn’t do squat for me either, unless you count making my mouth taste like the ocean. I tried the wax too, but honestly, it just ended up stuck to my pillow half the time.
Your soft food trick is genius though. I lived on scrambled eggs and pudding for a while. The ice pack on the cheek helped me more than anything else, but only for about ten minutes at a time. Ibuprofen kind of took the edge off, but never fully knocked out the ache.
Propping up with extra pillows actually made a difference for me too—never thought about the gravity thing, but it makes sense. It’s wild how something so simple can help a bit. Anyway, you’re not alone in the pain cave. Once you get past that first brutal stretch, it really does get easier...until your next adjustment, of course.
That first week is honestly the worst—my whole jaw felt like it was humming. I totally get you on the wax, too; half the time it ended up as lint by morning. For me, I found that sipping cold water before bed sometimes dulled things just enough to fall asleep, even if it didn’t last all night. Also, I tried those little silicone covers instead of regular wax and they actually stuck better for me, but maybe that’s just luck. It does get better, but wow, those first nights are rough.
