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

That wax disappearing act drove me nuts too - felt like I’d wake up and wonder if I’d eaten it in my sleep or something. Warm salt water was my go-to, mostly because it’s cheap and easy; I never noticed a huge difference, but it did seem to calm things down a bit. I was pretty cautious with painkillers, mostly because I didn’t want to keep buying them. Sometimes I’d just pop in a podcast and try to focus on that instead of the ache. Not perfect, but it helped me save money and get by.

That disappearing wax thing drove me up the wall too - sometimes I’d find little bits stuck to my pillow and just wonder how much I’d swallowed. Warm salt water rinses never felt like a miracle, but I did notice less irritation after a couple days in a row. Painkillers were kind of a last resort for me too; I always worried about building up a tolerance. Distraction’s underrated though - podcasts or even just scrolling on my phone helped me ride out the worst nights. You’re definitely not alone in this.

I hear you on the wax - mine would vanish after a few hours and I’d be left with sore cheeks. I found switching to silicone wax helped a bit, though it’s pricier. For pain, I mostly relied on cold water and gentle jaw stretches. Never really got much from salt rinses, but maybe I was too impatient. Distraction definitely made the nights easier - sometimes just zoning out to an audiobook did more for me than any painkiller.

Distraction definitely made the nights easier - sometimes just zoning out to an audiobook did more for me than any painkiller.

I totally get this. My daughter’s in year two of braces, and honestly, some nights have felt endless. She tried the regular wax at first, but it was like it evaporated by midnight. We’d find little blobs on her pillow or stuck in her hair instead. The silicone wax is a game-changer for her too, even if I wince a little every time we have to buy a new pack - who knew something so tiny could cost that much?

She’s not big on salt rinses either (she says it tastes like “the beach but worse”), but cold water bottles are always on standby. Sometimes she’ll just hold one against her cheek and zone out to her favorite show. Distraction really is half the battle... especially when you can’t pop another dose of ibuprofen.

Funny thing, she’s also started doing these dramatic “jaw yoga” stretches before bed - looks ridiculous, but she swears it helps. I’m not sure if it’s the stretching or just the ritual that calms her down.

One thing that surprised us: frozen grapes. She’ll keep a bag in the freezer and suck on them when things get rough at night. Bonus points for being healthier than ice cream (not that that stopped me from sneaking some myself).

Anyway, I guess there’s no magic fix, but you’re right about distraction being underrated. Sometimes you just need something to take your mind off the ache for a while... or at least until you drift off.

She tried the regular wax at first, but it was like it evaporated by midnight. We’d find little blobs on her pillow or stuck in her hair instead. The silicone wax is a game-changer for her too, even if I wince a little every time we have to buy a new pack - who knew something so tiny could cost that much?

Silicone wax really is worth every penny, isn’t it? I remember thinking the same thing about the price, but it actually stays put through the night. I’ve never tried frozen grapes, but that’s genius - did you ever notice if she had more relief from those than from cold water? I used to go for frozen peas, but grapes sound way better. The “jaw yoga” made me laugh... I did something similar and I’m convinced half of it was just the routine making me feel less tense.