Got braces tightened yesterday and man, my teeth feel like they're being squeezed by tiny angry elves or something. Took some ibuprofen but it barely made a dent. My mom gave me this numbing gel stuff to rub on my gums, and honestly, it kinda helps for a bit. Tastes weird though lol. Anyone else tried this gel stuff or have something better that actually works?
"My mom gave me this numbing gel stuff to rub on my gums, and honestly, it kinda helps for a bit. Tastes weird though lol."
Yeah, that gel stuff is decent for short-term relief, but honestly, warm saltwater rinses helped me way more. Sounds boring, I know...but trust me, it really eases the soreness better than you'd expect.
That numbing gel is a lifesaver for like 10 minutes, then you're back to square one, haha. When I had braces, I swear by chewing on ice chips—sounds weird, but it numbed things up nicely without tasting like medicine. Just don't go crunching down too hard or you'll have a whole new set of problems... Hang in there though, it gets better once your mouth adjusts!
"Just don't go crunching down too hard or you'll have a whole new set of problems..."
Haha, couldn't agree more with this! I've seen plenty of chipped brackets from ice-chewing mishaps. Another trick that works wonders is sipping on cold water throughout the day—it gently numbs the soreness without risking damage. Also, don't underestimate warm saltwater rinses at night; sounds old-school, but it really helps ease inflammation and speeds up healing. Hang tight, it'll ease up soon enough...
Totally relate to that vice-like feeling—it's brutal, especially the first few days after tightening. Ibuprofen usually helps me a bit, but honestly, it never fully takes away that deep ache. The numbing gel you're talking about is probably Orajel or something similar, right? I've used it before too, and yeah, it tastes kinda funky but does give temporary relief. Just don't overdo it because I found that using too much can irritate your gums after a while.
The cold water tip mentioned above is spot-on. I discovered this by accident when I was sipping iced tea one day after an adjustment. It really does help numb things down gently without causing any damage. Warm saltwater rinses are also surprisingly effective—I was skeptical at first because it sounded like something my grandma would suggest, but turns out grandma knew what she was talking about. It reduces swelling and soreness pretty noticeably if you do it consistently before bed.
One other thing that's helped me personally is sticking to softer foods for a couple of days after tightening appointments. Smoothies, mashed potatoes, yogurt, scrambled eggs—stuff like that. I know it's tempting to just power through and eat normally, but giving your teeth a break from chewing really helps ease the pain faster.
Also, distraction is underrated. Watching a good movie or playing video games can take your mind off the discomfort for a while. It's not exactly medical advice, but hey, whatever works to get through those first rough days.
Hang in there though; usually by day three or four things start feeling way better and you'll forget all about those angry elves squeezing your teeth...until next time anyway.
