If Your Braces Hurt Like Crazy At Night, What’s Your Go-To Fix?

half the time it ended up as lint by morning

That’s so real - by the time I woke up, I’d be picking mystery fuzz out of my mouth like a cat with a hairball. Did you ever try those numbing gels? I heard mixed things, but honestly never got brave enough to slather that stuff on my gums.

I’ve stared at those numbing gels in the pharmacy, but honestly, I’m way too nervous about putting random stuff on my gums. I always worry I’ll swallow it or it’ll make things worse. I usually just stick to wax and hope for the best... but yeah, half the time it’s gone by morning and I’m still sore.

Honestly, I get where you're coming from. I’ve looked at those numbing gels too, but something about the idea of accidentally swallowing it freaks me out. Wax is my go-to as well, even though half the time it’s stuck to my pillow by morning. Pain at night is the worst. I sometimes just pop an ibuprofen and hope for the best... not sure if that’s ideal but it helps a little. You’re definitely not alone in this - braces pain is no joke.

I’m new to all this, so I’m still figuring out what works. The wax helps a bit, but yeah, mine disappears overnight too - seriously, where does it even go? I tried numbing gel once and honestly couldn’t stop worrying about tasting it all night. Ibuprofen seems to be my backup plan but I never know if I’m taking it too often... Does anyone else get that weird ache that just lingers for hours? Sometimes I just try distracting myself with music or a podcast till I fall asleep.

That overnight wax vanishing act is so real - mine always ends up stuck to my pillow or just...gone. When I had braces, I’d swish with warm salt water before bed if the ache wouldn’t quit. It didn’t fix everything, but sometimes it took the edge off enough to get some sleep. Ibuprofen worked for me too, but I worried about overdoing it, so I’d try to save it for nights when nothing else helped. The ache is weirdly persistent, like a dull throb that just hangs around. Music definitely helped distract me sometimes, especially on those tougher nights.