The metal spoon trick! I thought I was the only one who tried raiding the kitchen at 2am. Honestly, I’ve resorted to wrapping ice cubes in a paper towel because I’m too cheap for fancy gel masks. Popsicles are my weakness, but if you get the budget store brand, it’s like chewing on frozen sugar water—still worth it. Weighted blanket never helped my mouth but does make me forget about the pain for a bit... or maybe just puts me to sleep faster.
-
Weighted blanket never helped my mouth but does make me forget about the pain for a bit...
Same here, the blanket just knocks me out faster, not sure it does much for the teeth.
- Ibuprofen before bed helps a little, but not a cure-all.
- I keep a bottle of cold water by my bed—sipping it numbs things for a minute.
- Popsicles are clutch, but yeah, store brand is a gamble.
- Sometimes I just end up binge-watching stuff to distract myself until I pass out.
Pain’s annoying, but it usually fades after a few days for me.
Ibuprofen before bed helps a little, but not a cure-all.
I’m with you there—ibuprofen dulls it a bit, but I still wake up if I roll over the wrong way. Ever tried switching to acetaminophen or alternating them? Not sure if that’s actually better, but I’ve had mixed luck. Popsicles are a solid move, though... except when they freeze my tongue too.
I’m with you there—ibuprofen dulls it a bit, but I still wake up if I roll over the wrong way.
Yeah, ibuprofen only takes the edge off for me too. I’ve actually had worse luck with acetaminophen—doesn’t seem to touch the soreness from braces, at least in my case. Alternating the two didn’t really make a difference, just ended up with more pills in my system.
Honestly, what’s helped me most is using orthodontic wax on the brackets before bed. I know it sounds basic, but it stops the sharp bits from digging in when I move around at night. Makes a bigger difference than painkillers half the time. Popsicles are great, but I always end up with a numb tongue and sticky lips... not ideal when you’re half asleep.
If you haven’t tried the wax trick, might be worth a shot. Everyone’s pain tolerance is different, but for me, it’s been more reliable than meds.
We’ve been in the same boat with my kid—ibuprofen helps a little, but it’s never been a magic fix. Acetaminophen didn’t do much for us either, and I get what you mean about not wanting to just keep adding more meds. Wax really is underrated. I used to think it was just for emergencies or if a bracket broke, but it’s become a nightly ritual around here. Sometimes it’s the simple tricks that make the biggest difference.
I do wish there was something less awkward than popsicles at bedtime, though... tried that once and ended up with a mess on the pillowcase. The other thing we found helpful was a warm compress before bed—just one of those microwavable packs held to the jaw for a bit. Doesn’t solve everything, but it seems to relax things enough for my kid to fall asleep.
Hang in there—it does get easier as you go along, or at least you get used to what works (and what definitely doesn’t).
